Harry Potter And The Caves Of The Dead
by Ravenclaw Midnight Blue
Summary: A dark alliance, Hogwarts pupils held as prisoners, a network of traps, an object of supreme power... Harry's got his work cut out against Voldemort & Snape. But is everything what it seems to be? Prequel to 'The Lycanthrope Legacy'. Please read & review!
1. Chapter 1: The Unholy Union

_**Harry Potter And The Caves Of The Dead**_

_This is set during my alternative Year Seven of Harry's schooling – and is non-Deathly Hallows compliant._

**Chapter One:**

**The Unholy Union**

August 1997:

"So – it is agreed? We have an alliance, my Lord?"

Voldemort appraised Lady Vordarna, who was sat at the other side of the long mahogany table in the dining room at Malfoy Manor. The leader of the visitors spoke with a cultured, if slightly smoky, voice that bore no trace of the mid-African accent that she once possessed in her long life. Her dark skin bore a creamy hue. The slightly-curly black hair was long and fell to the centre of her back in a series of waves. She was, to judge her by appearance, aged in her early forties – but in reality, she was much older.

There were six of the visitors, sat along one side of the table to either side of the lady. The three women wore long silk dresses, whilst the trio of men in Vordarna's company wore dark jackets and matching trousers. Their crisp, white shirts, however, were without ties.

Lord Voldemort looked across to his left and right, noting the expressions of his most senior Death Eaters, lined up in their seats along the dining table in their usual dark livery. To his immediate right was the former Potions Master of Hogwarts School, Severus Snape – his eyes as black as his mop of greasy hair, his face and emotions inscrutable. Beyond him was the master of the house, Lucius Malfoy – recently sprung out of the wizard prison of Azkaban. And to Lucius's right was his wife, Narcissa, who looked equally anxious at the presence of their guests as he did.

On the two chairs to Voldemort's left was the blunt-featured, pony-tailed male Death Eater called Yaxley. The other was Voldemort's favourite lieutenant, Bellatrix Lestrange. The Goth-like, dark-haired witch glared at Lady Vordarna with poorly-disguised disgust.

With a smile of amusement on his thin lips, the Dark Lord returned his gaze to the regally-dressed black woman who had spoken.

"Yes, Lady Vordarna. We share a joint purpose. If you and your group pledge themselves to me, we will grant you the positions of power and privilege that you desire." Voldemort calmly replied in his customary thin, high voice. His left hand reached out to stroke the head of the giant snake Nagini, who had slithered up from the floor and onto her master's lap.

"We pledge ourselves, on the understanding that you and I will be equals, at the head of our joint forces." Lady Vordarna dipped her head slightly. "Together, we will overthrow the Ministry of Magic and the traitors of my esteemed kind – and rule, as we were meant to rule. Then we will feed upon the spoils of our glorious victory."

"And we must have complete trust between our groups," announced one of Vordarna's men. Krave… Yes, that was his name, Voldemort reflected. Krave looked the strongest of the three men of the Lady's party. Wiry-looking, and with a face that looked almost as if it had been chiselled from stone, underneath the dark ginger-dyed hair. "As we have asked, the Unbreakable Vow will now be made between our Lady and the Dark Lord."

"Of course," Voldemort replied softly, still smiling. "It must be made clear that no betrayal by either leader will be tolerated. I agree to make the vow. Lady Vordarna will be appointed as my Dark Lady. Our lives must be valued by each other – and by the servants of each other. If my body should die, the Lady will perish also. If my Lady dies first, my mortal life shall also cease "

Bellatrix Lestrange gasped aloud. The other Death Eaters present looked shocked.

Their leader turned his head only slightly at the sounds he was hearing. "Silence! Let us proceed with the vow. We need someone suitable to cast the bond. Perhaps your second-in-command, Doctor Darnell, my Lady? I understand that she was a witch herself, before she consented to becoming an Eternal…"

The woman sat to the right of Vordarna, whose bright, tightly-curled ginger hair cascaded over her shoulders, smiled at the facially-deformed wizard before her.

"My Lord, I am still a witch. But my magical expertise lies…"

"In advanced alchemy – matters beyond the folly of turning base metal into gold, yes. You will be most useful, Doctor. I have such plans… But that is for later. As for now…"

"Since the sum of your followers is larger, I am happy for one of your followers to perform the duty of Bonder, my Lord." Lady Vordarna turned her hands outward in a display of her consent.

Voldemort nodded, then turned and made a slight gesture with his hand. "Severus. If you please?"

Snape rose to his feet. When the two leaders were standing at one end of the long table, close enough to hold their exposed right hands, the ex-Potions Master stood so that he was to one side, facing both them and the watching companies of followers. The tip of his wand was placed upon their linked hands.

"Do you, Lady Juno Vordarna, pledge yourself and your forces to the joint cause we have agreed upon?" Voldemort rasped.

"I do." The regal, black skinned woman assented.

A thin sliver of bright flame flowed from the wand. It spiralled around the hands of Voldemort and Vordarna.

"Do you, my Lord, pledge yourself and your forces to the joint cause we have agreed upon?" Vordarna asked, in turn.

"I do," the thin voice responded.

Snape's wand spat forth a second tongue of fire, which merged with the first, forming a chain.

"And, as declared, if my body should die, Lady Juno Vordarna will perish also. If her Ladyship dies first, my mortal life shall also cease. Do you agree to this life bond, my Lady?" Voldemort narrowed his gaze as he looked directly into Vordarna's black eyes.

There was a moment of silence in the room. Vordarna held her head high, and returned her partner's rigid stare. Snape took in the expressions of the two leaders, but remained silent.

"I do."

The third ribbon of flame shot from Snape's wand and entwined itself with the other two. The bond of fire glowed red, then slowly faded away. The Dark Lord and his newly-appointed Dark Lady released their grips.

"And now, we have much to share, my Lady," Voldemort announced, as he rolled the sleeve back over his right forearm. "As specified in our agreement, we must combine our pools of knowledge and magic to create the being that we will call the Juggernaut. With the joint expertise of your Doctor Darnell and our Professor Snape, this will be achieved."

"And also, as agreed, you and the Death Eaters will share what you know of the Caves of the Dead. We will seek out its location, and build upon our resources, to survive the perils that surely lie within!" Vordarna interlaced the fingers of her hands together.

"Indeed. Before our revolution can begin in earnest, the power I have learnt to be hidden there must be recovered. Power that will be equally shared between us, my Lady." Voldemort gave a slow, satisfied smile. "Now, we must celebrate our union. I have arranged for…refreshments…to be served in the cellar. You will, I think, be pleasantly surprised. Nagini – remain here. The rest of you, come this way. Lady Vordarna – you should be immediately behind me."

The Dark Lord led the intermingled throng of the Death Eaters and their richly-dressed guests, until they stopped outside the main cellar room of Malfoy Manor. Voldemort sharply rapped the knuckles of his pale hand against the door – and the bucktoothed face of Peter Pettigrew appeared at the bars, once the sliding metal panel had been moved aside. Seeing the gathered crowd, he gulped and fumbled as he opened the bolts of the cellar door.

"All…all is ready, m-my Lord," he stuttered.

"Thank you, Wormtail." Wearing his usual long cloak, Voldemort seemed to glide past Peter as he led the company into the wide chamber beyond. Alongside one wall were six horizontally-laid out racks – instruments of torture, where the captives were each bound around their wrists and ankles to a hard wooden slab by manacles.

The faces of the six prisoners were hidden underneath loose hoods. Hearing footsteps approaching, the captives shifted in agitation. All but one of them tried to speak, to yell, or to scream. But they were gagged underneath their hoods. Watching over them was the white-haired, and moustached Nott Senior, who was aiding Pettigrew in his duties.

From their size and clothing, those gathered could tell that the first five prisoners were teenagers – a South Asian couple, a male of Chinese appearance, and a pair of white girls.

"Not all from the same location, I trust – Wormtail?" Voldemort enquired, looking over his shoulder at the small man.

"N-no, Master. We knew that would raise the suspicions of the Muggle police… These specimens came in three bundles – from diff-different places."

"That is good. Lucius and Narcissa – fetch some glasses for those who prefer…wine," Voldemort's lips pulled into a sardonic smile. He turned to Lady Vordarna and her company, who were eyeing the rack-bound youngsters with interest. "Our prisoners, of course, are for your…consumption."

The regally-dressed African woman and her five companions licked their parted lips, exposing the lengthened fangs of vampires.

"The Dark Lord is gracious. I thank you," announced Krave. At a nod from his Lady, he pulled away the hood from one of the female captives, who took in the ghoulish sight before her with shock-widened eyes. She strained frantically at her manacles – to no effect.

The company waited until the Malfoys returned with enough wine bottles from their drinks cellar. Their son, Draco, also entered the chamber – carrying a tray of wine glasses.

"Wait!" Lady Vordarna held up a hand. "Are these young ones of magical descent – or are they stupid Muggles?"

"Nott, you led the team who captured these youths. Please answer the Lady's question." Voldemort turned his head to address the Death Eater who had just accepted a filled wine glass from Draco.

Nott Senior hesitated, then spoke. "They…, they are merely Muggles, my…my Lady! We would not waste the blood of witches and wizards so freely – except in combat!"

"As I suspected…" Vordarna gave the five prisoners a look of distaste. "They will suffice as nourishment for my company – but _I_ only drink the blood of those who possess magic in their veins! Have you no captive wizards?"

Voldemort's thin lips parted into a gloating smile. "I can offer you someone even better, my Lady." He stepped forward and pulled off the hood concealing the face of the unfortunate sixth prisoner. The white face of another vampire – this one bald-headed, with sunken eyes, stared back at them with anger. His mouth was covered with a gag that still smelt of garlic, which had weakened him.

"Wormtail – remove his gag, before it upsets our guests," Voldemort spoke quietly.

Pettigrew nervously stepped forward and did as he was asked, throwing the gag into a far corner of the chamber. The last prisoner - his face and almost-completely naked body bearing whip marks - hissed hungrily at the little Death Eater, bearing his fangs.

Everyone's attention was now on the unfolding scene. The vampires stared at the unveiled captive, in fascination.

"Your people…managed to capture Sanguini, a member of the British Vampire Council…" Vordarna spoke in an awestruck voice that was almost a whisper. She smiled and ran her fingers along the deepest of Sanguini's blood-dried wounds, making him flinch.

"I understand that your kind only feed upon each other as a show of asserting your authority, my Lady." Snape spoke up. Like the other Death Eaters, he held his wine-filled glass in one hand. None of them would dare to drink until their master had proclaimed the toast.

"That is correct, learned one," Lady Vordarna complimented Snape. She returned her attention to the undead captive.

"Lady Vordarna…" The starved Sanguini rasped through cracked lips. The shadows around his eyes seemed more pronounced than they had when he appeared at Hogwarts, during the previous December, thought Snape. "The Council have fought long and hard…for our kind to be accepted by the wizarding community! Do not undo our progress with your renegade actions…!"

"Our kind will stand as Lords and Ladies, besides the One who stands next to me! The Muggles will be our slaves and cattle – as it is meant to be!" Vordarna hissed back. "You are relieved of your status, Sanguini!"

"Bravo, my Lady…" Voldemort raised his filled glass. "May our alliance be long and deliver all our desired aims. Your good health, Lady Vordarna – the future Vampire Queen of this island."

"I wish you the same, as King, my Lord." The dark-skinned vampiress gave a hand signal to her followers, and they lowered their fangs to the exposed necks and arms of the bound Muggles. At the same time, their leader hissed and sank her bared canines into the weakened Sanguini, and proceeded to tear his throat apart with the savagery of a wild dog.

Voldemort sipped his wine and watched the killings with amusement. Bellatrix Lestrange finally raised her lips into a smile, also – delighting in the screams and sprayed blood. The other Death Eaters tried not to gag, as they turned away from the grisly sight and sounds. Nott quickly backed away from the carnage, looking uncomfortable as a splash of red narrowly missed his robes.

Severus Snape's lips curled as he too tore his eyes away from the scene. He sipped his wine slowly and carefully, as he kept his nerves about him…

*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

December 1997

"Enter," The thin voice called out as the door was knocked.

Bellatrix Lestrange opened the door, and stepped into the study. Once she had closed the door again, she turned to the figure that was stood, staring out of the bay window. The curtains had been drawn back - displaying first one, then another firework exploding in the night sky, set off from the nearest village, some miles away from Malfoy Manor.

Bellatrix waited – but Voldemort seemed engrossed in the spectacle. Eventually, he spoke.

"Such strange habits those Muggles have. There is still an hour to go before the New Year – yet they seem content to waste their money on such pretty toys, some of which are not even fired on time. So strange and indulgent…"

"My Lord…" Bellatrix tried to control her emotions. "You – you asked to see me."

He turned to face her. "Yes, Bellatrix. Please sit." He extended an open hand to the chair placed in front of the study desk between them.

"I…, I prefer to stand," his lieutenant replied. Guardedly.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Come now, Bella! I know that you are still…unhappy with me. You barely hold back your hostility to Lady Vordarna – only you would not be so foolish to say so when she and her coven are within the same building. Fortunately, they are all busy elsewhere, tonight." The bald head tilted itself towards Bellatrix. "No doubt _you_ wish yourself to be my Dark Lady!"

"I-I… Yes! But on-only with your consent, my Lord." Bellatrix stumbled with the delivery of her words. "For-forgive me, but I do not understand why…"

"The agreement between Lady Juno Vordarna's renegade vampire coven and our league is…a marriage of convenience – of _necessity_ – Bellatrix… Rest assured that I have made no commitment to become…physically involved…with the one who you are so jealous of!"

A look of intense relief betrayed itself on the face of the wild-haired witch. "My Lord! I am reassured to hear that – but how long…?"

"When I have acquired the prize within the Caves of the Dead – then gone onto conquering the wizarding establishments of this nation, _and_ eliminated the Potter boy, the time will come when Lady Vordarna and her followers will no longer be required by me," Voldemort calmly declared. He slowly walked over to the fanatical, devoted witch – but stopped short before her.

"I have already trusted you with the secret of my immortality, Bellatrix. I asked you if you desired the same for yourself…"

She gasped. "Y-yes. You did, m-my Lord. And… And you know that I wish to share eternity in this world, with you!"

"Despite the price that has to be paid?" Voldemort gave Bellatrix a strange smile.

She nodded back firmly. Without hesitation.

"Very well. The time has arrived for you to be made immortal, my dear. And, on this eve of a new year, it is fitting that the first step is taken now." Voldemort reached out his hand, and slowly brushed his thin fingers across Bellatrix Lestrange's face, making her gasp with pleasure. Before she could do anything to touch or hold him, in turn, however, the Dark Lord had turned away and walked over to a wide safe set into a wall of the room, which he then unlocked. Lifting a parcel out of it, Voldemort closed the safe door shut again. With a flick of his wand, the large package rose into the air and hovered behind him. The bald-headed wizard then strolled over to the only door, which he opened. The parcel levitated close behind him. "Follow me," he instructed Bellatrix.

Minutes later, the two of them had entered one of the cells underneath the Manor, with the use of a key the Dark Lord had produced from his robes. As the gas light set close to the door was turned up, the solitary inhabitant of the dank, cool room blinked and raised his bloodshot eyes to take in his visitors.

The heavy iron door was slammed to, with a 'clang'. That was immediately followed by the 'thump' of the package gently being lowered to the floor.

"M-my Lord? B-Bel-Bella!" the prisoner croaked through parched, dry lips.

"Rodolphus." Bellatrix Lestrange coolly regarded the prisoner. His once-fine hair was now long, dirty, and unkempt – and his beard was overgrown and shabby. Although dressed, his clothes were stained– and he smelt. Also, the captive's hands were locked within a set of wooden stocks, which were fixed to the stony floor. He was stuck in a permanently crouched position.

Another problem that the husband of Bellatrix was saddled with was the grim fact that his left leg now ended in a peg-legged stump. Almost right up to his hip.

"You've come…to release me? Please! My loyalty cannot be in question – and there…, there must be must still be ways I can help aid you in this war…!"

"I do not doubt your loyalty, Rodolphus. Only your competency - and effectiveness," the Dark Lord calmly announced. "You and your brother were given a task to perform on Christmas Eve. To assassinate the Minister of Magic, by blowing up his office. You failed, Rodolphus – and Rabastan was foolish enough to be consequently captured." He paused, and then added. "Only I, your wife, and the Malfoy family know that you are in this cell. They have been sworn to secrecy. I did not want the news of your failure, and injury, to…dishearten…our other fighters."

"But…, but I evaded the Aurors and guards! Despite the damage I sustained, my Lord! The timing mechanism was faulty…!"

Bellatrix stepped forward. She shot Rodolphus Lestrange a stern, cold glare.

"Silence, my husband! What our Master has concluded is that you are now incapable of further use in our army."

"Precisely, Bellatrix." Voldemort inclined his ghastly face in a nod. "Though it is true that you have one last function to perform, Rodolphus Lestrange. _I_, however, will not harm you."

The prisoner fell deathly silent. His widening eyes darted between his wife and his leader, and back again. He forced himself to speak again.

"Wh-what is the meaning of this? B-Bellatrix! I am your loyal and loving husband!"

"Our first loyalty has to be to the One besides me! You know that." Bellatrix raised her voice, as she held herself with due demeanour and bearing. "I am divorcing you, Rodolphus! Our Lord intends to appoint me as his Dark Lady – once we have achieved our victories. I, in turn, intend to rule beside him over this nation. For eternity!"

There was no tenderness in her expression or delivery. Only an eagerness to achieve her final, personal, goals. To become the Dark Lord's partner – and equal – in every respect. Including physical intimacy…

Bellatrix raised her wand.

"Nooo!" Rodolphus Lestrange shrieked. He desperately shook the stocks, hoping to break loose from them – to prove that he wasn't a hopeless cripple. _"You must not do this…!"_

"Yes, I must! _Avada Kedavra!"_ his wife screamed.

The ominous lime-green bolt of light zapped out from the witch's wand and struck Mr Lestrange on his temple. He visibly convulsed – then his body slumped in the stocks, striking the wood with a loud 'thud'. His eyes were wide with shock. Eyes that now saw only a yawning darkness…

Bellatrix gave a sigh of satisfaction - then turned to her master. "We should provide a reason for his death, my Lord."

Voldemort smiled. "The others will be told that, upon his request, you left him with your wand during a cell visit. He killed himself - as he knew he had nothing left to give you, or to me."

His lieutenant nodded her acceptance, then straightened herself to face Voldemort eye-to-eye. "I am bound to no man but you now, my Lord," she declared, with pride.

"You have proved yourself worthy, Bella." Voldemort pulled out his wand. With a few swishes, it was used to cut open the package. "We will now create your first horcrux! After that…"

"Yes, my Lord?" she asked.

He smiled at the gleam of rapture in his servant's eyes. "I shall eliminate the Muggle prisoner in the next cell – and use the energy harnessed to produce my latest horcrux, my dear Bella…"

*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

June 1998

_I did NOT follow in my father's footsteps to perform guard duty!_

Draco Malfoy fumed and kicked out at the stone wall before him, before pacing the cellar passageway. He checked his watch. Only half an hour had passed since he had been obliged to stand guard before the door that led to the cold store pantry of Malfoy Manor. Not that he was safekeeping the stock… Oh no. Some weeks before, the Dark Lord had placed a locked suitcase inside, before casting an illusion spell on it. All Draco currently knew about it, was that his family had to be careful about what food they now brought out…

_Father should have protested when HE put me on this stupid watch rota! I'm the one who got the Death Eaters into Hogwarts – for glory's sake! I'm above this!_

_Why aren't I with HIM at the caves? Does he think I couldn't hurt those witless fools from the school – or their Muggle friends – who we captured at Easter time? The Dark Lord doesn't realise how stronger I have become in my spirit, since the night I disarmed Dumbledore… But, oh no. It's up to our family to stay behind, at our home – whilst Aunt Bella gets to see some adventure._

_She seems to have got over the suicide of Uncle Rodolphus well enough – not that he had much guts for our revolution, compared to Aunt Bella…_

He stopped pacing, and considered his surroundings.

_And another thing… There's nowhere to sit, either!_

A noise distracted Draco from his indignant fury. The magical glow lamp fixed into one wall illuminated a figure that had just slipped into the corridor. She closed the door to the cellar behind her.

Draco spun round and raised his held wand. "Who's there…?" Oh – it's you. Doctor Darnell…"

The assistant of Lady Vordarna stepped forward and smiled. In human terms, Darnell struck Draco as being in her late twenties, with strawberry-blond hair curled into ringlets that covered her shoulders. Out of Vordarna's group, she was certainly the most attractive – with her beguiling smile, bright blue eyes and rather cute-looking freckles. She also always seemed to dress well – the Doctor currently had on her usual cherry-coloured cloak over the scarlet one-piece dress that reached almost right down to her dark leather shoes.

Just staring at her again made something in Draco Malfoy stir. When he had been at Hogwarts during his fifth year, he and fellow Slytherin pupil Pansy Parkinson had started to develop their friendship – and they still kept in touch by having their parents acting as go-betweens for passing on sealed messages between them. However, just before Christmas, Draco had been disappointed to hear of Pansy's failure to gather information on the insufferable Harry Potter and his friends…

And although Draco and Pansy were still a potential item, having spent some time in secret during the Easter holiday, he did wonder if he could do better for himself. After all, Darnell was a capable witch in her own right. So what if she was a vampire – older than her appearance suggested? As long as she brushed her teeth regularly, it could work… She could teach him much, if he played it right with her. Draco had once seen her feeding, draining a young Muggle dry. She had caressed him like a lover in his last moments with her pale hands, sensuous red lips, and eager, hungry fangs…

Draco Malfoy took a moment to readjust his lower clothing, to relive the tightness underneath.

"Greetings, young Master Malfoy… How are you, this morning?" Darnell spoke in a languid voice that somehow conveyed a note of sexiness to it. With her long dress, in the dimly-lit stone corridor, she seemed to glide – rather than walk – towards the blond-haired teenage wizard.

_Huh? That's the first time in eight months that she's actually asked me anything…_

"Er… I… Very well, thank you, Doctor Darnell…"

"Abnoba. Call me Abnoba."

"That's your first name? It's unusual. It's…nice…" Draco tried not to sound as foolish as he was beginning to feel.

"It is the forename I adopted when I became an Eternal." Darnell grinned and draw up closer to Draco. "Abnoba is the Celtic goddess of the Hunt." She explained.

"I see… Very apt for a vampire." He smiled. "How come you're up at this time of day? You're usually at work all night, with Snape. You sleep during the day – don't you?"

"Usually, yes. But after many years of being…what I am…the sun causes only minor discomfort. I can operate during the day – like the rest of my Lady's company," Darnell responded. She frowned. "But they are not here, today. Are they?"

Draco was puzzled. "No! Your Lady and the rest of your company have travelled to the Caves of the Dead – along with the Dark Lord and several of our Death Eaters. Weren't you supposed to go with them?"

"No… Lady Vordarna wanted me to continue my duties in the chemical laboratory Professor Snape and I share." Doctor Darnell frowned again. "But I have…other duties…to perform today. Yes… More important things to see to."

The vampiress gave a languid smile, but this time Draco noticed that the expression didn't reach Darnell's eyes. In fact they seemed flat, unfocussed…

But he was soon distracted as his attractive visitor reached out her hand, to lightly brush Malfoy's wand arm. "You can lower your weapon," she muttered. "I have noticed you watching me, during the times I have accompanied my Lady in conference with your parents. You find me…intriguing. Do you not?"

"You wha…? Oh. Well. Yes."

_That's no way to speak to a lady! Pull yourself together!_

Feeling somewhat tongue-tied, Draco placed his wand within the inside pocket of his black suit jacket. "I was thinking… Erm – many things, to tell the truth! But… How old are you, Doc- _Abnoba_?"

"Oh, in human terms? About fifty-five, at the last count – old enough to be your mother!" The strawberry-blond vampiress tittered, still keeping eye-contact with the teenage Death Eater before her. "Being Eternal, as you can tell, means I will never grow old. Every day, I silently thank Lady Vordarna for bequeathing me this existence."

"For that age, you sure are beautiful," Draco muttered.

"Thank you. Aww… You are blushing! Come here." Darnell snaked out her other hand to first feel Draco's flushed face, then his smartly presented blond hair. "You seem sweet." She smiled.

Malfoy's mind seemed to go numb. He could only think that the object of his fancy was showing an interest in him. He couldn't believe his luck…

"Let's see how sweet you are!" Darnell's grip on Draco's head and arm suddenly tightened, holding him in a vice-like grip. As he gave a strangled cry, the vampiress opened her mouth wide, hissed, and then pierced his neck with her drooling fangs…

*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

"You witless…_fool!_"

Lord Voldemort closed the gap between himself and Draco Malfoy with frightening speed. With a violent slap, he sent his young subject sprawling upon the grey-coloured, rock-littered floor of the cavern they were in. The teenager gasped and felt his stinging face. His heart racing, he allowed his swimming vision to settle as he looked up and found himself staring up at the jagged entrance shaft, which had been recently blasted apart by the expedition team of the Death Eaters and Lady Vordarna's vampire coven.

Then, still lying on his back, Draco tried to crawl away from the bald-headed, cloaked figure of fury before him. The debris of small stones cut into his hands as he shifted carelessly across the uneven ground.

"I…I'm _sorry_, my Lord!" he yelled in his panic. "I had no…, no reason to…to expect her to _attack_ me!"

Voldemort bared his teeth. His slit-like nostrils flared as he whipped out his wand from underneath the black cloak…

Narcissa Malfoy screamed, and ran over to throw her arms around Draco. She looked up to face their master. "No! Please… I beg of you! Not my son!"

Voldemort hesitated – remembering that night, when he had ignored that advice from another woman. He had killed her – then cast the Killing Curse again upon her infant boy. Only for his spell to rebound on him, instead. And the pain… It had been years ago – but he had never forgotten that agony…

"Narcissa!" Lucius Malfoy, startled by his wife's boldness to shield Draco, managed to rouse himself from his stupor. He bent down to try to pull her away from their only child.

"No, Narcissa! We must not defy our Lord! Even for Draco…"

"Our son has already suffered for his lack of vigilance, my Lord! He-he was bitten, and knocked unconscious. But he raised the alarm to us and Snape…, as soon as he recovered…"

The former Potions Master of Hogwarts School himself then boldly stepped forward in-between Voldemort's raised wand and the terrified Malfoys. Snape's expression was fearful, and he briefly twitched. Nevertheless, he seemed in control of himself.

"Severus… Get out of my way!" Voldemort rasped. "The boy needs to learn…"

"With respect, my Lord. We have a more pressing concern," the deep, measured, nasal tones of Snape appealed to his superior. "Whilst Lucas and Narcissa were tending to Draco, I examined the cellar store. Your, ah…suitcase…is missing."

"_Missing__…! How…?"_

"I have searched the cellar. Despite the precaution you took in disguising it with an illusion, it has gone, my Lord!"

Voldemort gave a roar of fury. He fought to hold back the urge to lash out, to kill. Right now, he needed answers. Yes – answers…

He spun round to face Lady Vordarna, who had been up to now silently watching the unfolding drama with growing anxiety and concern. Her fear sharpened as the Dark Lord swiftly grabbed her by the neck and pointed his wand at her face. A part of him silently yelled inside his head that he could not kill the Lady. Not without sacrificing a part of himself…

His anger lessened slightly. He needed Juno Vordarna alive.

"Lady Vordarna – your second in command has stolen…_property_…of mine! WHY? _What _have you ordered her to do?"

"My Lord! I…I have played no part in this! I do not…understand…why Darnell has stolen from you… Wh…what has she taken?"

Voldemort carefully read the expression, the eyes, and the thoughts of the vampire coven leader. His ability as a Legilimens confirmed the bewilderment that was displayed before him…

He released the Lady. Stifling a hiss of anger, she adjusted the crumpled collar of her dress.

"You speak the truth, my Lady… I apologise for my anger." Voldemort gave her a short bow. "However…, the situation is serious. The doctor must be tracked down – _immediately_!"

"I will conduct the search…," offered Lady Vordarna.

"_We_ will lead the search," the Dark Lord retorted. "Cowden! Rowle!"

A lean Death Eater with curly-brown hair, and the tall, blond-haired Thorfinn Rowle, both straightened to attention.

"Y-yes, my Lord?"

"Rowle - fetch Greyback! I need that werewolf's tracking skills. He is to report here!"

Vordarna nodded at the male vampire standing close to her. "Go with Rowle. Inform our people – discretely – of the situation! Then stay with the party here."

Both men bowed to their superiors – then ran out of the wide cavern via a tunnel. Both the cave and the rocky passageways were lit in places by white quartz-like crystals that were scattered around the cave network, embedded deep into the walls themselves.

Voldemort swiftly turned back to face the Malfoy family. Lucius and Narcissa had pulled Draco up from the cavern floor. His mother was dusting down his jacket. Meanwhile, Snape was examining the cotton pad that had been bound over the vampire's bite.

"Severus… Is the boy…infected?" Voldemort asked – regaining his composure. For now.

"Draco's neck wound has stopped bleeding, my Lord. Apparently, Dr Darnell did not bite deep," Snape declared, off-handedly to his master. "Evidently she was more concerned about making sure he was not a threat, rather than wanting him dead. So, I would say not. He is under no risk of becoming a vampire."

"The bitc…" Draco stopped – then changed his choice of words. "…_fiend_…punched me. Sent me flying into the wall… I blacked out." He spat, feeling the bruise of his temple.

"Silence!" Voldemort roared. "Snape – you know some of the secrets of The Nameless Ones. The magicians who erected the traps in these caves. Your research is why we are here, after all."

"That is so, my Lord." Snape looked impassively straight into the snakelike face of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. "And I have already shared…"

"_You_ will now lead the party in the quest to find that which I seek in these caves! In the absence of myself and Bellatrix, you are in charge!"

Lucius Malfoy gave a nervous cough. "And wh-what of myself, m-my Lord?"

"You will return to your home, with your family, Lucius! I will re-consider your son's conduct, later. Go now!"

"Ah… Of course." Lucius's lips quivered. Stepping back, he and his wife moved to the side of the cave, next to the entrance shaft. There, they apparated – taking Draco with them.

"And the work I was carrying out – preparing the ingredients for the second Juggernaut?" Snape put to Voldemort.

"My missing property comes first, Severus! _Your_ priority is now tracking down the Master Wand. Remember, only I - and Lady Vordarna – are permitted to use it! The Muggle prisoners are most expendable, naturally. Try to safeguard the others – let them believe they _might_ survive if they obey our commands."

"Very well." Snape gave a bow.

At that stage, the tall, rangy-looking man that was Fenrir Greyback loped into the cavern – followed by Rowle.

"Master… You wanted my services?" Fenrir asked in his rough, raspy voice.

"You have a vampire to track down, Fenrir!" Voldemort hissed. "Now – you, Rowle, Cowden, Lady Vordarna… Come with me to Malfoy Manor. Our werewolf friend can pick up the scent there!"

With a series of dark, blurring 'whooshes' of displaced air, Voldemort, Lady Vordarna, Rowle, and Cowden (the later taking Greyback for side-along apparation) all vanished from the first cavern of the cave system. Severus Snape was left alone.

He took a moment to compose himself. Then, wrapping his dark cloak around him, he turned and walked over the only tunnel leading further into the maze of caves. Strolling past a Death Eater sentry who remained at his post, Snape was met in the next tunnel by Nott – who, with his white-hair and lined face, was one of the oldest of their company.

"Snape…" The older man inclined his head. "I came to see what was happening. Something bad, I gather…"

"You heard the conversation, then, Nott?" Snape narrowed his black eyes at him.

"Some of it, yes."

"Then you will know that our master is indisposed! In the meantime, our mission with our…guests…is to proceed! I am in charge." Snape walked on, his black cloak billowing behind him.

Nott Senior looked startled for a moment as his eyes bored into Snape's back. "I see…" he muttered lowly. Then he followed his colleague, in order to join the other Death Eaters and the remaining vampires – along with their young captives…

Author's note:

"_I understand that your kind only feed upon each other as a show of asserting your authority, my Lady." Snape spoke up._

This bit was inspired by an scene in Freda Warrrington's book 'A Taste Of Blood Wine'


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

**The Juggernaut**

June 1998

At the same time as Severus Snape was taking charge of the company in the Caves of the Dead, events were underway in another part of the country.

"_Stupe-!"_

"_Expulso!"_

Harry Potter directed his spell at the Death Eater's feet. The black-clad, turbaned wizard bellowed, as the stonework exploded from underneath him and the blast caused him to fall backwards into the circular pool at the base of the chamber they were in. The 'splash' splayed the two captives bound to the frames overhanging the body of water.

Ron Weasley and Harry left the cover of the door they had just opened – only to freeze on the top of the arcing staircase at the sight of another dark-robed figure. This one was - rather unexpectantly - a pretty, thirty-something Indian witch with short, dark hair.

Unfortunately, her expression did not match the attractiveness by which the young wizards perceived her. Eyes blazing with malice, she raised her wand at the intruders.

"_Sectumsempra!"_

"_Prote-"_

Harry and Ron tried to duck down at the head of the stairs – but they weren't quick enough. Ron, standing in front of his friend, yelled as the cutting spell struck his right shoulder. He collapsed, and fell forward.

"No! Ron…!"

"_Expelliarmus!"_

Harry cursed his distracted senses – as his wand was knocked out of his grasp. It fell onto the other set of stairs that led down from the entrance and likewise followed the edge of the dunking pool in the chamber.

_Move, Harry!_ He told himself.

He turned and leapt after his displaced wand, then rolled across the second set of stairs. The female Death Eater, intent on Harry, ignored Ron as he clutched at his injured shoulder – and ran to catch up with her target, reaching the top step next to the door, before racing down the opposite flight of stairs, to finish the other teenage boy off.

"You're mine, Potter!" the witch gloated. _"Stupi-"_

But Harry had already fired his wand. The witch had only a moment to take in the defiant expression on her quarry's young face – then she gave a high-pitched yell, as the non-verbal spell struck her legs, turning the bones wobbly. She staggered, and lost her wand-grip, before toppling over the side of the stairs – to land into the pool. Once again, the protesting prisoners on the elevated frames took a splashing.

However, by now the first Death Eater had pulled himself out of the pool, and retrieved his wand from the water, to boot…

Ron gasped as he forced himself to move. Levelling his wand with his left hand, he croaked: _"Diffindo!"_

The Indian wizard shot a glance across at Ron – then saw the looming shadow, followed by the danger itself. The chains that had been hanging from the ceiling overhead – now severed by Ron's spell – dropped down upon the turbaned magician. He screamed as the metal gashed his face, and the blow caused him to topple back into the pool. The weight of the chains that now draped around him took the Death Eater to his watery grave. There was a rapid rush of air bubbles which broke the surface – then nothing…

"Hot hoof-hopping Hippogriffs!" Alistor Moody had appeared at the top of the stairs, along with Hermione Granger. Together, they took in the aftermath of the fighting.

"Harry…- _Ron_!" Hermione gave a shrill cry, and turned in mid-step, before sprinting down the steps to her right – in order to tend to the injured Ron. The grizzled Auror veteran, meanwhile, headed to his left, and hobbled upon his wooden leg, to examine Harry.

"I'm okay, Mad Eye. Really," Harry exclaimed, as he carefully got to his feet. "But that witch… Here she comes!"

"On it!" Moody straightened up, and aimed his wand at the still-spluttering female Death Eater, who had been more concerned about pulling herself out of the pool, rather than saving her drowning colleague. She grabbed a poker from a nearby workbench, ready to throw at the intruders. One _"Stupefy!" _from Moody, however, and the South Asian witch dropped the poker. An instant later, her unconscious body collapsed on the floor - next to her would-be weapon.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief - then he remembered about Ron. Hermione had already removed the ginger-headed lad's jumper and shirt, and was now tending to his bleeding shoulder with a clean handkerchief. Harry and Mad Eye Moody came over to prop Ron against the chamber wall, at the base of the stairs. The injured young wizard was looking somewhat shocked.

"Ron! Are you all right?" Harry clasped his hand around Ron's good shoulder.

"Yeah… Just slightly out of it, Harry." Ron's eyes drifted across to the pool. "But that Death Eater… I've killed him, haven't I?"

"Ron – don't worry about that…!" Hermione scolded him, as she applied pressure to his wound. With her other hand, she used her wand to repair the damage as best she could.

"So what if you did, boy?" Moody growled. "This is war! You acted to save Harry and yourself. That man wouldn't have shown you any mercy! You can always say it was my doing, if that helps!" He gave Ron's left forearm a pat, and smiled. Despite himself, Ron managed to smile back.

"Hmmpumm!"

The muffled noise of the still-bound prisoners re-directed the attentions of the intruders to those above. Leaving Hermione in charge of Ron's first-aid care, Harry helped Mad Eye to work the elevated frames and lower them back down. Soon, the two captives were ungaged and freed from their bonds. Harry was relieved that they were two of the Hufflepuffs pupils who had been kidnapped during the Easter holiday. Both Harry and Moody were hugged by Susan Bones – then Ernie Macmillan gave his rescuers a warm handshake.

"Thanks – all four of you!" Ernie gave a fleeting smile. "How did you guys find us? We've been trying to keep count of how many days we've been prisoners…"

"It's now nearly mid-June, Ernie…," Harry started to fill them in.

"June already…? Oh, Merlin…" Susan Bones ran a thin hand through her dirty, dishevelled hair. "How many of you are here? Have you found the others…?"

"Some of the rest of our lot have rescued Mr Ollivander – that I do know. But you're the first prisoners _our _search party have found." Moody's false eye moved of its own accord, scrutinising the two seventh year Hufflepuff students over. "Wait… Harry – ask them something that only the real Miss Bones and Master Macmillan would know!"

"Oh! Er, er…" Of course, Harry scolded himself. This could've been a trap. Stepping away from the two released prisoners he managed to come up with some questions.

"Ernie – what form does your Patronus take?"

"A boar," Ernie answered, without hesitation. "You would've seen it during our DA lessons."

"And Susan… What did your aunt Amelia use, to see?"

"Oh! Her…, her monocle!"

Harry nodded, satisfied. "They're real, Moody."

The joint DADA teacher of Hogwarts grunted. "Good. Now let's get out of here – and help the rest of the Order in cleaning up this blasted safe house!"

Susan stepped forward. "Let us help you! We just need wands. Ours were taken by our captors!"

"Whoa! Hold on a moment…" Harry declared, taken aback by the offer. "What about the others who were at Zachery Smith's birthday gathering, when the Death Eaters ambushed you guys? What happened to Neville – or Luna? Do you know where the rest of those taken are?"

The two Hufflepuffs glanced at each other with worried faces, then faced Harry and Moody. Susan spoke. "It wasn't just young wizards and witches who were taken… Zachery had a couple of Muggle neighbours at the party too. Teenage boys, with their lady friends round…"

"And there's a couple of fourth year pupils, too. Laura Madden and Jimmy Peakes," Ernie added. "They were kidnapped at Easter – same as us!"

"We know about that, Miss Bones!" Mad Eye interrupted. "Where are they now? Do you know?"

"Actually, yes. Sort of," Susan meekly replied. "About a couple of hours ago, that horrid woman - Bellatrix Lestrange - was taunting us. She said our friends were being taken to someplace called the Caves of the Dead. We were _surplus_ stock, she declared…."

"That's why we were tied up above the pool," Ernie helpfully added. "Our friends were herded in here briefly - to see how we would be treated, if they didn't co-operate with the Death Eaters. That was just before they were taken away. Apparently to the caves."

"Lestrange…" Harry bristled, picturing the wild-haired, Goth-like witch who had killed his Godfather, Sirius Black. He had failed to get the better of her during their last encounter – and he wanted to see her re-captured for her crimes. Or dead.

"Harry – we need to move on," Moody snapped. "There might be more stinking Death Eaters in this safe house. And I personally would like to see our mysterious informant for the first time. If he – or she – is still here!"

"Oh, right… The one who revealed this location to the Order of the Phoenix?" It was Ron who spoke. "Look – take my wand, Ernie…"

"Ron? What…?" Harry started to protest.

Hermione and Ron exchanged glances – then Hermione addressed the others. "We'll be all right, Harry! I'll look after Ron, Just get going! Free the other prisoners – and take care!"

"Hold on…" Harry felt uneasy, as Ernie caught Ron's wand, which Hermione had tossed over to him. Meanwhile, Susan Bones had now gathered the female Death Eater's wand. "Ernie. Susan… This is dangerous work! Don't get yourself killed…!"

Ernie gave Harry a stern look. "Why? Are you the only pupil allowed to keep risking his life, Harry? We Hufflepuffs weren't there in time to accompany you, when Luna and your Gryffindor group flew on those Thestrals to London. We weren't there to help out in your battle against Lucius Malfoy, Lestrange, and those other stinking cronies of What's-His-Name. We should have been there – on behalf of Dumbledore's Army, and all that's still good in our community…!"

"No, you weren't – but it was just as well! It was a trap! I nearly got my friends killed…" Harry felt like yelling.

Susan quickly put her hand on Harry's shoulder, making him stop and pay attention. "Harry – me, Ernie, and most of our kidnapped friends were in Dumbledore's Army… Both my aunt and my Uncle Edgar _died_, thanks to Death Eaters! We want to help you and our pals. We _want_ to fight – even if it means taking You-Know-Who's lackeys down with us!"

"That's right." Ernie added, giving mustering a smile. "Can't let you hot-headed Gryffindors take all the glory for yourselves – can we?"

Harry sighed – but shrugged his shoulders. He smiled, admiring their dedication.

"Alright, then – guys. Let's move it. Just watch yourselves…"

*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

Back in the fray throughout the safe house, the other members of the invading Order of the Phoenix – Kingsley Shacklebolt, Professor Remus Lupin, the Metamorphmagus Nymphadora Tonks, and even Dedalus Diggle, Emmeline Vance, and Sturgis Podmore – were busy firing off spells, from behind the cover of doorways and furniture, against the remaining Death Eaters, who were acting in kind. Harry, Ernie, Susan, and Mad Eye Moody weren't able to see them all in action, however. They had barely returned to the hallway from the basement level – when Harry spotted Bellatrix Lestrange, who had just directed a spell at the grandfather clock, next to Diggle, causing it to collapse upon him.

"Yaaah…!"

Then Bellatrix caught sight of Harry. She was shocked for a moment or so – then a gloating smile spread across her face.

"Ooh, it's the Potter boy! Come to seek revenge for cousin Sirius, have you? Come and get me, then!" And with a sharp laugh, she raced over to the front door of the building, shot a Stunner at Hestia Jones, who was posted just outside – then the half-mad witch raced into the open air.

Harry glared at the silent and unmoving Diggle, lying underneath the fallen clock. Eyes closed, and apparently dead to the world. The memory of seeing Sirius Black struck by Bellatrix's Killing Curse flashed up in Harry's mind – clear as it had been the first time round.

He tightened his sweaty grip on his wand, threatening to break it in the process. Then he promptly gave chase.

"Harry – no! Not by yourself!" Moody roared, from somewhere behind him.

But he wasn't prepared to stop. He wanted Voldemort's lackey to suffer for what she did to Sirius – and pay the penalty for all her other crimes…

Harry glanced briefly at the fallen body of Hestia Jones, as he leapt over her.

Out in the sunlight, Harry's heart hammered as he kept the wild-haired, black-draped witch in sight. She was weaving through the bushes as she headed around the side of the large countryside house, heading for the garages. She unlocked the side door with her wand – then disappeared inside.

As Harry slowed to a half before the garage, to regain his breath – he realised Ernie Macmillan was still with him.

"Er-nie…?"

"Yep… Susan's checking on that man…Lestrange knocked out… Moody urged me, to stick with you…" the other young man gasped, as he recovered from his run. He took a moment to look around him at the hilly landscape around him, with a smile. The solitary house, and the woods nearby, was bathed in the bright midday sunshine. Birdsong could be heard in the distance – and the thought occurred to Harry that Ernie and the other prisoners must have been deprived of sunlight and fresh air for far too long.

Ernie took a deep breath, taking in the smell of the uncut grass they had raced across - and then he eyed up the garage door before them. "Let's try to take her down, then! Carefully, mind…"

Harry nodded, grateful to have some company – but he tried not to picture Ernie as Cedric Diggory, on the evening when…

No! That was then. He had the moment at hand to concentrate on.

Unlocking the door with their wands, Harry and Ernie headed into the garage to track down their prey.

They found her in the adjoining workshop.

The place had been turned into some sort of laboratory – and the workbenches were cluttered with various apparatus, chemicals, and mechanical parts. But Harry didn't have time to pay much attention to them. Bellatrix was standing on a Persian carpet, in front of a workbench that was set to one side of the laboratory. She had her back to the pursuing wizards.

"Drop your wand!" Harry yelled to her. "Hands up. And slowly turn round!"

_Dear God_, thought Harry_. I sound like an American cop from a TV show…_

Surprisingly, Bellatrix obeyed his instructions. She didn't say anything, and she didn't look taken aback or even angry. Instead, she stuck out her tongue at them.

"You cheeky witch…," Ernie muttered.

Harry kept his hand level – his wand pointed at Voldemort's lieutenant.

"_Expelli-"_

"You'll want to hear me out first, Potter-boy!"

Harry paused. His facial muscles tensed even further. "You can tell everything to the Order of the Phoenix - _when_ you wake up, after I've…"

"If I don't report back to the Dark Lord, he will start killing your captive friends!" Bellatrix leered.

That made Harry lower his wand a fraction. He considered his next move – then looked across to Ernie. As he spoke to the Hufflepuff student, Bellatrix silently mouthed an incantation. Unnoticed by the boys, a yellow amulet hanging from their prisoner's neck briefly glowed…

"Ernie – get somebody from the Order over here. Right now!"

"Harry – it's has to be a trick! She'll do anything to throw you off bal…"

"What if she's telling the truth? Think about Neville, Luna, and your friends too! I can't risk it!"

"We Hufflepuffs knew what we were letting ourselves in for, by standing up the Ministry, and What's-His-Name's-mob! If you won't stun her – then let me…"

"_What's-His-Name…!..?"_ Bellatrix Lestrange shot an indignant glare at Ernie.

Suddenly, there was an almighty crash. Harry and Ernie spun round, to face the large wardrobe standing behind them, which was lined up against the wall next to the entrance door. A wardrobe that had its doors just flung open with such force, that the hinges of one of them had just broken off.

As the door fell noisily upon the floor, the occupant flexed its arms and stepped forward towards the two teenagers – making a _'clump-clank, clump-clank'_ racket as it did so.

"What the hell…?" Harry's jaw dropped open.

The entity summoned by Bellatrix Lestrange was a frightening hulk of a bizarre _thing_ – half-stone, and half metal. It stood just over six feet high. Mainly, the creature was made of a rough brown rock – but it was augmented by grey, steel-like plating covering its knees, elbows, neck, and other joints. On each hand, it wore a metal gauntlet tipped with claw-like fingers. The rudimentary face bore two hollows, one on either side of the tall, crag-tipped head – which presumably served as its ears. There was also an open, slit-like mouth, a stony bump for a nose, and two eye-like openings, lit from within by a hellish yellow, lava-like glow.

"It's a golem, Harry!" Ernie yelled in panic. He aimed his wand at it. _"Confringo!"_

The ray of light from Macmillan's wand, however, shot straight into the metal breastplate the golem wore. There was no damage.

"Grab the bespectacled one!" Bellatrix shrieked. "Disarm him!"

"Oh cobblers! _Expuls..!_ Aaaggghhh!"

Harry stifled a yell, as the automaton seized the wrist of Harry's wand arm, and twisted it – forcing him to drop his weapon in the process, as he was pulled down to his knees. His other arm was soon held in place, also. Meanwhile, Ernie gave a cry as Bellatrix quickly retrieved her dropped wand and beat him to unleashing a stunning spell.

Harry seethed. He looked first at Ernie, unconscious on the carpet besides him – then at Lestrange.

"I should have listened to him – and shot you down straight away…!"

"Now, now, Potter. You wanted to see your friends again!" Bellatrix sniggered - then paused. Somebody was running towards the workshop. Harry thought he could recognise the shapes visible through the nearest tiny, murky window as that of Remus Lupin and Tonks.

"Time for my Master to see my prize. He will be sooo pleased! And your pal might be useful, too…" She fired a spell at the carpet_. "Activitcus!"_

The covering underneath the two wizards, Bellatrix, and the golem briefly glowed with myriad colours. Then the room began to turn around them, and fade from view – just as the workshop door crashed open. Harry saw the shocked, aghast expressions of Lupin and Tonks.

_The carpet's a blasted Portkey!_ Harry cried out his anger and panic. He had done it again – fallen into a trap, designed to ensnare him!

"Harry!" Tonk's hair turned a vivid orange, in her fury. "Bellatrix!"

"Too late, pathetic niece! Ta-tah!" Bellatrix Lestrange waved a mocking hand as the carpet and its passengers vanished from the workshop, and sped through the ether – to the accompaniment of the Death Eater's crackling laughter.

*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

"Well, well. I suppose one cannot fault your dedication, Potter. Even if you were stupid enough to get caught."

The familiar sneer, the haughty, nasal voice, and dark, greasy mop of hair had not changed one bit since Snape's last night at Hogwarts, Harry considered. Nor had his fashion sense improved – the ex-Potions Master was still displaying his taste for black smocks and bat-like robes.

The Persian carpet Portkey had transported Harry, Ernie, Bellatrix, and the golem to an open area of moorland – which Harry was unfamiliar with, having seen relatively little of the UK, until he had taken his first big trip on the Hogwarts Express. At a guess, they were somewhere in the wilder parts of the nation, going by the gloomy-looking, cloud-tipped hillscape around them. It definitely wasn't close to the Welsh safe house – the look of the terrain was wrong. And it didn't match anywhere in Scotland that Harry had seen from the train, en route to school and back.

With Lestrange having confiscated the wands of the two boys, she had forced Harry at wand point into the recently-created, and magically-enlarged tunnel that led down to the first cavern of the dimly-lit cave network. Meanwhile, the golem had scooped up the unconscious Ernie Macmillan and carried him.

Now the four arrivals were in the second cave. It was a smaller affair than the previous one, with three exit tunnels – one of which led back towards the entrance, whilst the other two descended further down into the unknown depths via lit tunnels. Harry noticed that once past the entrance cave, the rock walls were here and there embedded with black orbs, the size of bowling balls – as well as the ever-present light-emitting white quartz crystals.

Along the passageway to this second cave, Harry had shuddered as his party carefully edged past the lip of an exposed pit trap. At the bottom of it was the body of a teenage boy, impaled on a bed of long, sharp spikes. The light-crystal set into a wall close by, provided just enough illumination for Harry to see the blood on the corpse. And the face… Well, it wasn't anyone he knew – which meant that it had to be a Muggle. Possibly one of those who had attended Zachery Smith's birthday party, and had been captured – along with Neville, Luna, and the Hufflepuff group present…

"Let our Lord know Harry Potter is here! I want to see the look of joy on his face!" Bellatrix Lestrange almost squealed to Snape, once he and Nott Senior had met the arrivals.

Snape, however, coolly appraised the half-mad witch – then spoke. "That will not be possible. He has left to pursue one of Lady Vordarna's female brethren."

"_Wh-WHAT!"_ Despite her low whisper, there was venom in Bellatrix's exclamation. Harry saw her expression turn murderous. "WHO…?"

"Oh… I do not mean in a romantic sense, of course, Lestrange. Your nephew, Draco, was guarding some…property…at Malfoy Manor, when the vampiress Doctor Darnell attacked him. Darnell has apparently stolen…ah, that which Draco brought with him from Hogwarts, that night he and I had to leave…"

Bellatrix's face was now a mask of shock. Harry tried to hide the smirk on his lips, least the black-hearted witch saw it, and lash out at him. She certainly looked as though she was desperate to hurt somebody. Her wand hand twitched. "Those dammed vampires…!"

"We do not yet know if Darnell was working alone – or not. In any case, the Dark Lord has taken Lady Vordarna, Fenrir, Cowden, and Rowle with him - in order to track down our fugitive," Snape intoned, his black eyes glittering under the glowing crystal set high on the cave wall. "I have been left in charge of the hostages, in the ongoing mission to overcome the traps blocking our progress here. Meanwhile, I believe you were overseeing that safe house at our Welsh hideout? Judging by the tears in your clothing, and the singe on your hair, Lestrange, do I take it that you had rather more than Mr Potter coming to rescue Mr Macmillan, Miss Bones, and Mr Ollivander?"

"That dammed Order of the Phoenix came – along with this brat and his friends! I managed to take down Hestia Jones and Diggle – but our side was outnumbered! I used the Portkey to deliver us here, along with the Juggernaut," Bellatrix snapped back. "So how do I track down our Lord, to hand Potter over to him?"

"Leave Potter here. _He_ will return to these caves, when Darnell is found – along with the property she took! In the meanwhile, perhaps you should check on your injured nephew – _and_ prepare your explanation as to how you allowed our Welsh base to become lost to our enemies?" Snape drily remarked, the hint of a sneer showing at one end of his lips. "Maybe you might even find a trace of the trail that our Lord has already sought? If you wish to speak with him immediately, that is. I must warn you – he was in no mood to hear any further bad news, when he left from here."

This time, Harry could not prevent his lips widened into a grin. Bellatrix was being dismissed by Snape, and – judging by the look on her face, she did not at all like what she was hearing. Then she glanced at Harry.

"What'ya looking at, Potter?" She lashed out with her black-gloved hand, and Harry was sent sprawling across the rocky floor of the cave. His shoulder struck the laid-down body of Ernie, who groaned as he came to.

"I will be at Malfoy Manor – for now!" Bellatrix fumed. "Keep Potter-boy alive and secure for _Him._"

Snape gave a haughty bow. "Of course. But the wands of both of our…guests…may be required, if we run out of other captives in running the gauntlet of the traps in these caves. Also – you will not be able to apparate out of here until you reach the entrance cave. It was been discovered that the black orbs set in the rest of the cave network act as anti-apparation wards."

Lestrange paused, then soundlessly handed over the wands the boys had been carrying.

"Thank you. And since the Juggernaut is now here, perhaps you will be so good as to hand over the controlling amulet to me, also? The golem would be perfect for watching over our prisoners…"

The witch seethed, then took off her amulet and tossed it over to Snape. She then headed off to the entrance cavern, where there was no magical interference to stop her apparating to her destination.

Pocketing the wands, Snape – with the aid of Nott Senior – quickly bound Harry's hands together with a binding spell. Then the same was done with Ernie. Harry then found himself jabbed against his left forearm by Snape's wand. There was a brief flash of pain, and Harry yelled. Then the pain faded away to a dull ache.

Next, Snape placed the amulet around his neck. The talisman glowed, and the golem shifted its gaze to the dark-clad former teacher. Stone grinded against metal as it moved.

"Juggernaut – watch over these two. If they even try to leave this cave, break their ankles. Do _not_ kill them, however! And Nott – keep watch for now!"

Nott Senior nodded and moved to one of the cave entrances, wand at the ready.

"Professor Snape!" Ernie called out. "How can you possibly do this? Where are Hannah, Justin, Zachery, and the others? Have you…- have you killed them?"

"Silence, Macmillan! The other Death Eaters are under my strict orders not to kill anyone in my absence. And, for your information, only two of the Muggles have died in the activated traps so far – one of them was before I took charge. You would've seen him, Potter…"

"So you've the other one's blood on your hands, Snape! You killed Dumbledore – and because of you and Wormtail, my parents were murdered!" Harry yelled out. "Don't think you're getting away with it…"

"I do not have the time to waste responding to your prattle, Potter." The nasal voice of Snape responded with its typical sneering quality. He stood to attention for a moment, eyes closed, as he stood close to Ernie – his wand pointed at the Hufflepuff's head. "I do not expect you to understand my actions – any more than I expect…forgiveness from you for the trouble both you and your father caused me at Hogwarts!"

For a moment, Harry thought he saw the tip glow – but in the next second he decided that it must have been a trick of the light.

"I could kill Mr Macmillan now, if I so chose, Potter. So I suggest that you hold your tongue, and think about the consequences of your actions. Now, I have work to see to. Come along, Nott!" And with that, Severus Snape stormed off into one of the tunnels leading further into the cave network. Instead of immediately following, however, the elderly Mr Nott walked up to Harry and Ernie and pressed his wand against both of their heads – first Ernie's then Harry's. Harry could not read his face. There seemed to be a mixture of thoughts behind the grey eyes that were now scrutinising him.

"It would be so easy to kill you, Potter. In a way, it would be an act of mercy," Nott Senior declared, his voice surprisingly deep and strong. "But our Lord has to make things so…complicated." He shook his head. "I would like this war to end, soon – before I get too old. Then maybe no more kids will have to die…"

"Mr Nott!" Snape's terse voice sounded from the nearby corridor.

Nott sighed, and rolled his eyes. "You boys stay out of harm's way – got it?" he snapped at Harry and Ernie - then he hurried away, to join the ex-Potions master. That just left the two prisoners with the golem.

"What was _he_ going on about…?" Ernie frowned.

"I'm…not sure. And right now, we have other things to think about, Ernie." Harry strained at the magical, glowing circles of light that had bound his hands together behind his back – to no avail. He knew what was there – as Ernie's hands were likewise stuck in position. As Harry panted to get his breath back, he realised that his companion seemed dazed.

"Ernie…? Are you all right?" Harry asked.

"I feel a bit…lightheaded…" The other DA pupil slowly flexed his neck. "I'm…, I'm recovering, thanks. So – what now?"

With a hard lump in his throat, Harry appraised the metal and rock hybrid golem before them – the Juggernaut, as Bellatrix Lestrange and Snape had called it. It remained motionless and silent – it's yellow-eyed gaze firmly on its two young prisoners.

"Somehow, we have to break free of these magical handcuffs we both have – then get away from that golem," Harry observed. "_Then_ – since it's down to us – we need to free the prisoners, get their wands back if we can, and escape from this place before Voldemort returns!" He frowned. "_Wherever_ this place is…"

"The Death Eaters were calling it the Caves of the Dead, Harry," Ernie pulled himself up enough, so he could rest his back against the wall of the cave. In the near-silence, the two teenage wizards could hear water dripping somewhere along one of the nearly tunnels. "When I was with Hannah, at one stage of our imprisonment at that safe house, she asked Snape - on one of his rare visits - what was going to happen to us. He told her that we were to be guinea pigs for testing the traps in this cave network. Apparently, there's a hidden prize here wanted by What's-His-Name…- You-Know-Who, I mean. It's called the Master Wand. Snape said there was an order of advanced magicians who used this place, some centuries ago. Some order who simply referred to themselves as The Nameless Ones. They created a powerful wand – but when knowledge of its existence spread widely across Europe, many wizards and witches killed for the right to own it. The Nameless Ones – seeing that their creation had led to so much evil being committed, hid the wand away. Over time, facts became rumour. According to what Snape said to Hannah, most wizards have forgotten all about the Nameless Ones, the Master Wand, and these caves."

"A powerful wand. I see…" Harry's heart sank. "Just the sort of thing Voldermort would be after, to guarantee no one could stop him in this war!" He angrily shook his head. "So this Order put down traps to prevent anyone getting to this Master Wand – before they disappeared in the mists of history. Only, Voldemort has now learnt about it – and wants it for himself?"

Ernie gave a weary nod. "That's right. Apparently, You-Know-Who was going to launch an attack on the Ministry of Magic – but then he learnt of this Master Wand from Professor Snape. However, no one amongst the Death Eaters was certain of the location of these caves. But between the fragments of information that I heard passing between the other prisoners is that this sect of renegade vampires had information about this place – and that led to Voldemort and Lady Vordarna, the vampire coven leader, forming an alliance. Consequently, the combined groups eventually found these caves. And us lot at Zachery's birthday party were later abducted… Anyway, these are the Caves of the Dead, Harry! We're somewhere in the northern Peak District."

He fell silent for a moment, then gave Harry a puzzled look. "How did you and the Order of the Phoenix track down that safe house?"

"Oh! The Order had a tip off from some mysterious source. Somebody who calls himself – or herself – the Redeemer."

"What…? Somebody amongst the Death Eaters?"

Harry shrugged. "Mad Eye Moody told me that no one knows who the Redeemer is – the tip off was received by indirect means. But this…source…has provided reliable information before – helped the Order to save several lives, and allowed us to track down a couple of Death Eaters. Unfortunately, they died resisting arrest. But the information the Redeemer provided about that Welsh safe house was judged to be too important to ignore – so the Order of the Phoenix got ready to rescue you Hufflepuffs, Neville, Luna, and the other prisoners. When we heard about the news, me, Ron, and Hermione insisted on coming along too – to help our friends and DA colleagues! And…" Harry's voice trailed off. He frowned.

Ernie frowned. "What is it?"

"The Redeemer said in the letter that was sent, that Voldemort wouldn't be at the Welsh safe house – and he wasn't. If the Order thought Voldie was going to be there, they wouldn't have let me or my friends go with them!" Harry twisted and pulled again at his magically-bound wrists. "We really need to get moving, Ernie! Before Snakeface comes for me! Any ideas?"

The other wizard was looking thoughtful. "That golem's breastplate absorbed our spells…"

"Er, yeah. It did. But how does…?" Harry started to reply.

"Bit of a longshot, this. But I'm wondering…" Ernie wiggled himself – and, with some effort, managed to stand up. Raising his heels, he peered into the golem's mouth.

"Ernie… What are you doing?"

"Golems are animated by parchments or talismans… I can…, yes - I can see something lodged deep in this one's mouth. It must be the parchment which contains the magical words giving it life."

Harry straightened himself up, taking a keen interest in what Ernie was telling him. "So if the parchment was pulled out of the golem's mouth, it would become lifeless?"

"That's the theory."

"How do you know this, Ernie? I don't recall hearing about golems in my classes," Harry observed.

"Learnt about them from my uncle, who studied at Beauxbatons…" Ernie grimaced. "Thing is, I don't see how we can pull out its parchment – even using our wands. That thing's breastplate will soak up our spells. So, here goes Plan B!"

As Harry watched, Ernie judged the few paces between himself and the watchful Juggernaut. Next, he placed himself, back-first, in front of the automaton – where the cave floor was relatively even.

Then Ernie took a deep breath and ran backwards. His bound hands collided with the golem's breastplate.

There was a brief flash. In the next instant, the Juggernaut grabbed hold of Ernie by the shoulder, and threw him none-too-gently back onto the cave floor.

"Ernie! Are you…?" Harry exclaimed.

"Ouch! I'm…I'm okay. Hey! My hands are free!"

Harry's eyes widened. The magical glowing rings that had bound the wrists of the other schoolboy together had vanished.

"Great work, Ernie! Now for my turn…" Heart beating madly with renewed hope, Harry carefully got to his feet, and repeated the 'attack' on the golem. Again, the creature shoved its bothersome prisoner down again – and Harry's hands were free, the magical circles having been absorbed by the golem's breastplate.

"Right…" Ernie gulped, as he helped Harry up – glancing nervously at the imposing sentinel staring impassively at them. "Now what do we do, without our wands? As soon as we make for the tunnels, it'll come after us…"

"We have to recover our wands somehow – so we need to locate Snape and the other Death Eaters, Ernie. As for our next trick…" Harry rummaged in one of his jacket pockets and pulled out his folded up Invisibility Cloak. He shook it out, making his body only partially visible in the process.

Ernie's mouth dropped open. "Is _that_ what I think it…?"

"Keep quiet! And keep in step with me!" Harry flung the cloak over both of them.

Immediately, the Juggernaut's neck and other joints moved – its parts grinding as it did so. One foot-shaped stump of stone stepped forward, then the other one. The metal gauntlets flexed ominously…

Quickly, the two shrouded wizards headed away – leaving the cave via the exit Snape and Nott Senior had taken. Behind them, the golem scanned the cave – then paused to decide which exit to take.

Hearing the footsteps of its prisoners breaking into a run, the Juggernaut turned to its left and broke into its stride, to follow the route of Harry and Ernie – clomping and clanking as it did so, making the ground shake where it walked. The mechanical noise echoed along the network of twisting tunnels before it…


	3. Chapter 3: Blood, Death, And Stone

**Chapter Three:**

**Blood, Death, And Stone**

With the invisibility cloak now back in Harry's pocket, he and Ernie hurried along the cave passageway. Along each tunnel, lodged firmly into the craggy walls every so often, more of the black orbs were set in place to prevent apparition. Going by what Snape had told Bellatrix.

_No chance of a quick escape from here, then…_ Harry scowled to himself.

Luckily, the light-generating crystals which the Nameless Ones had apparently left behind from their days of inhabitation, allowed the two young wizards to watch their feet as they pushed on. The fear of being confronted by the pursuing golem, plus their shared concern over the fate of the other captives, gave their flight an extra zeal and urgency.

"At least we know which way the Death Eaters went – they've left chalk arrows on the walls!" Harry huffed, as he climbed onto a rocky edge, in order to reach the next bed of the tunnel just ahead. Actually, he thought to himself, helping Ernie up, this latest tunnel was more like a smooth passageway. The walls, floor and roof were now straight.

_This place isn't just caves…,_ Harry realised_. It's been hand-crafted into a dungeon complex by the Nameless Ones…_

The two of them pressed on. They used a side tunnel to by-pass a cave where a skeletal arm was protruding from a rock fall. They also had to duck underneath a spider's web in the bend of another tunnel. The web was spread out above a cocoon - one that contained a long-dead previous explorer. And further along the tunnel were the burnt-out remains of the web's creator…

Harry and Ernie gulped - then left their gruesome discovery behind. Getting their breaths back, the teenage wizards started to navigate the next corner.

"What the…?" Harry panicked. In the short stretch of corridor ahead of them, the far wall had a crossbow fitted on a frame, protruding from it. The tip was pointing straight at him…

Harry was about to throw himself upon the passageway floor, when he felt something pressing across his shins. There was a 'click'. Suddenly, Ernie grabbed Harry's shoulders and pulled him back. They then tumbled to their left side. At the same time, something made a loud 'THUD'.

A moment later, Harry and Ernie were disentangling themselves and getting back up. Harry's throat went dry as he gazed at the crossbow bolt that had slammed into the floor of the corridor, and now was lying on one side – thankfully having missed them. However, the bolt had come from _above_ - the one at the next corner of the passageway had not moved.

And Harry could now see the trip wire he had activated.

"Saw the one in the ceiling just in time…," Ernie gasped.

"Thanks, Ernie." Harry patted his shoulder. "I owe you."

"No, you don't." Ernie shook his head. "I was one of those pupils who believed you were the Heir of Slytherin, and I helped out in the distribution of those 'Potter Stinks' badges, back when I thought you had somehow persuaded Professor Dumbledore to put you into the Tri-wizard Tournament."

"Well, yes – you did, Ernie. But you've made amends, by joining the DA. And by just saving my life," Harry responded. "Anyway, let's press on."

Keeping a close eye on everything within sight now, the two lads edged along the passageway, backs pressed against the sides – in case the crossbow in front of them suddenly fired as well.

They breathed a sigh of relief as they reached the next turning and ducked underneath the bolt.

"It's a decoy…" Ernie released the breath he had been holding. "Meant to divert your attention from the real danger – the tripwire you set off, Harry."

Harry nodded. He looked round along the next stretch of the passageway, and gave a start.

"Here's somebody who wasn't so lucky! Look!"

Cautiously edging over to the body, Harry and Ernie spied the latest ominous gap, high up in the tunnel wall. Another crossbow bolt had evidently shot out of it – for a male Death Eater had been left on the floor, the shaft sticking out of his blood-soaked neck. The man's eyes were frozen wide open in agony and shock.

Harry carefully moved the body, and his heart leapt. A moment later, he rose back up, bearing the cloaked man's wand. He gave a grim smile.

"Now we can do a little damage against Snape and his grunts! Do you want to use it, Ernie - or shall I?"

"Crikey… They left a wand behind?" Ernie frowned and considered the question. "You're the more talented wizard, Harry. You hold onto it."

"Thanks. Somehow, we need to get you one too. Anyway, let's find the prisoners, and…"

He trailed off. There was an unnerving _clump-clank, clump-clank_ noise echoing along the tunnels they had covered so far. The sound was gradually getting louder…

"The Juggernaut! Or so Snape and Lestrange called it," Ernie pointed out. "We should…"

"…get going!" Harry agreed.

Keeping their eyes open for more traps, they hurried along the lit passageway before them.

*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

A minute or so later, the two pupils reached another turn in the corridor. A long staircase led upwards through the rock. There were no handrails.

Harry and Ernie looked at each other - then hurried up the stone steps.

When they reached the second landing, roughly halfway up, the two teenager wizards slowed down, gasping with the exertion. Harry, in front, gathered himself, and pushed himself on, focussing on the door at the very top, in the distance…

"Harry – stop!"

He froze and turned round. Ernie was still on the small halfway landing, standing not far from another of the illuminated crystals set into the rocky walls of the labyrinth.

"You are going the wrong way…," he muttered.

What was Ernie talking about? Harry quickly ran back down to the Hufflepuff. "Ernie – we haven't got time to stop again! We haven't seen another way onwards – the Death Eaters must have come this way!"

The other lad blinked. Harry suddenly realised that his eyes looked glazed.

"Ernie? Are you…all right…?"

He did not answer. Instead, Ernie stepped over to the rock surface on the right-hand side of the staircase. There was a large stone, slightly darker than the others surrounding it. In a daze, Ernie pressed both of his hands against it, and muttered "forgiveness".

"What…?" Harry was now thoroughly confused.

Suddenly, the stones began to move – startling them both. Harry was reminded of the brick wall that guarded the entrance to Diagon Alley. Then, Hagrid had used his umbrella to press the bricks in a certain order, to activate the magical opening. Now – just like then – there was a secret access revealed. An unlit corridor lay before them.

As Harry stood there next to Ernie, dumbfounded, the ghastly _clump-clank _of the Juggernaut resounded close by, reaching their ears. The golem was about to arrive at the bottom of the staircase. Once there, it would catch sight of the escaped prisoners…

"This is our path to take," Ernie mumbled. He abruptly seemed to come to, as though he had been half-sleepwalking. "Er… Why did I say that?" He shook his head, perplexed.

The shadow of the golem loomed into view at the base of the stone steps…

"Quick!" Harry hissed. His mind made up, he grabbed Ernie by the shoulder and dashed through the secret doorway. A moment later, the stones collectively moved back to reseal the gap.

*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

Harry used a 'lumos' spell to illuminate their way along the dark corridor, as it gently sloped down to a large cavern. Here there was light coming from above. And voices…

His heart pounding, Harry deactivated his spell. He turned to Ernie, and held a raised finger to his mouth. Ernie, having apparently recovered from his dazed state, nodded. He too strained his ears and eyes, to take in what was happening above them.

There! Just left of a rope and plank bridge that spanned the high gap between two rocky ledges, were the party of Death Eaters and their captive pupils - and the remaining Muggle teenagers who had been invited guests at Zachery Smith's birthday party. The bridge was set at a level about two-thirds of the height of the enormous cavern.

Harry and Ernie were themselves at the base of the airy chamber. Before them ran a fast-flowing stream that Harry guessed would be freezing, even though it was June. With a wide leap over the stepping stones that were present, it might be possible to get to the far side, and leave the cavern via the tunnel leading away from the opposite bank…

Apart from his visit to find the locket-horcrux, Harry hadn't spent much time in caves before this day. The just-visible roof of this vast cavern made him think of the interior of a cathedral. Knowing that it probably wasn't imaginative by Muggle standards, he started to think of it by that name. The Cathedral Cavern.

His attention returned to the rope bridge, high above. He sucked in his breath as he saw Neville Longbottom being forced, at wand point, to cross the bridge – testing it. It shook slightly under the weight of the scared-looking seventh-former – but he made it to the rocky ledge on the right. The Death Eater who had forced him on now followed across. His hood was down – and from copies of Ministry photos the Order of the Phoenix had shown him (and from his own previous encounter), Harry was able to recognise the dark-clad, thick-set man as the father of Slytherin pupil Vincent Crabbe.

Next to make the journey via the bridge was the gangly-looking Zachery Smith - escorted by a suited, pale-faced man. Harry guessed he was one of the vampires Voldemort had entered the alliance with. Following them was a pair of black teenagers. Harry didn't know the last two – and he reasoned that they were the Muggles remaining amongst the prisoners. Then there was a bespectacled, blond-haired girl – who exchanged an emotional hug with Neville, once she had bounded off the bridge.

A moment later, Snape cautiously made his way over – followed by a couple of cloaked Death Eaters. In their wake came two more pale-faced individuals – a man and a woman who just had to be vampires. Then came the final prisoners: Justin Finch-Fletchley, the short but broad-chested fourth year Gryffindor Jimmy Peakes, and three girls – Laura Madley, Luna Lovegood, and…

"Hannah…," Ernie breathed. "Thank Merlin! They're all still alive – the pupils, at least."

The last two of the Death Eaters, one being Nott Senior - slowly traversed the precarious-looking wooden bridge – trying not to look down into the depths of the Cathedral-like cavern. Once they had reached the right-hand ledge, some of Voldemort's followers kept their lit wands aloft, providing the only light in this part of the network of caves and tunnels. They drew closer, with their prisoners – and formed a semi-circle before a sealed door that was the only visible way onwards.

"Good – we are all here." Snape's hateful nasal voice resounded through the cavern, reaching the ears of the watching Harry and Ernie, who were in the shadows far below. "Now, let's see why this door has no handle… Worboyes – you are the best at detecting enchantments on objects. What can you sense?"

Another male voice, gruffer than Snape's, answered. "Hurr! It's got magical protection on it all right, Professor! Wait… My wand's picking up symbols hidden on this wall to the left of it. A shrouding spell…"

"Right. Dispel it, Worboyes. You two… Yes, Crabbe and Goyle – I mean you pair. You're just as awake and sharp as your lads in my Potions class were…"

"Thank you, Snape. That's good to know!" one of them answered.

"I actually _wasn't_ paying you two a compliment…" Harry could sense the sneer in the ex-teacher's low, mocking voice, and he smiled. "Now keep watch on those gargoyles on those carved columns!"

"Ur… Right!"

As the party above waited for Worboyes to do his work, Harry whispered to Ernie.

"How did you know about that secret door? And the password to open it?"

Ernie shook his head. "I don't know, Harry! I…part of me just knew what to do. So I did it…"

"You look like you were confounded! Are you going to do something else you don't know about?" Harry pointed out.

"Err… How do I answer that?" Ernie pulled a face. "I don't recall being confounded – or anything of the kind! But that's the point of those spells, isn't it? The victim doesn't remember who drove a suggested action into their minds!"

"Shush…!" Harry held a finger to his lips again, as it became apparent there was something going on, on the cave ledge high above them.

"I've dispelled the shrouding spell, sir," Worboyes was saying to Snape. "They are runes – all numbers from one to ten. If I press them in ascending order, then push on this panel on the door itself, I reckon that'll open it… Or maybe we can get one of our…," he sniggered, "…guests to do it."

"Yes – you did particularly enjoy it when that Muggle fell into that pit trap, didn't you, Worboyes?" Snape's nasal voice responded. "How many Muggles have you personally killed – out of interest?"

Again, the man gave a snigger. "Lost count. At least five since I've joined the cause. And I've killed Blood Traitors, too…"

"No doubt," Snape responded curtly. "All right, Miss Lovegood. Stop your infernal humming, and come forward!"

Luna! Harry and Ernie quickly moved, and managed to find a spot on the cavern floor where they could clearly see the party above. Dressed in her casual clothing, like the other prisoners (in Luna's case, an electric-blue cashmere jumper, purple cotton trousers, and white running shoes), the dirty-blonde haired Ravenclaw sixth-former was shoved towards the rune door by a snide-looking female Death Eater.

"Write down what each rune means, Worboyes," Snape instructed. "Now, Miss Lovegood. Kindly press on each rune – starting with the order of one through to ten…"

"It's alright. I can read runes, you know," Luna declared in her usual, dreamy-sounding Irish lilt. Her day-to-day mannerisms projected the effect of a girl who spent most of her time with her head in the clouds. Harry, however, knew her better by now. Beneath her eccentric and seemly-unfocussed exterior, Luna was actually quite perceptive and smart.

"Luna – don't help them!" Neville sprang forward – only to be quickly restrained by two of the captors, one being the female Death Eater, and the other was one of the male vampires. "If that door's like the other traps we've met, you'll get yourself killed… _Oww!_"

"Leave him alone!" one of the Hufflepuffs girls yelled out. It was the one who Harry didn't know by name.

"Silence - Miss Greenway! As for you, Miss Durrant… _Don't_ clout Longbottom around the head when he's close to the edge of the path! I do not wish to have a pupil – or Muggle – falling needlessly to their deaths!" Snape snapped. "Now, Miss Lovegood. Press those runes."

Harry and Ernie saw Luna standing besides the sealed door, standing at Snape with her usual, wide-eyed gaze.

Snape sighed. Harry could imagine the git's nostrils flaring. "If you please!" he added.

"It never hurts to be polite…" Luna smiled - then ran her fingers over the numbered runes. Nothing happened.

Snape spoke again. "Try them in descending order."

Again, the solid, stone door remained unmoving.

"Hmm…" Snape considered. "Whoever has Miss Lovegood's wand, kindly give it her back…"

"I have it," the female Death Eater responded. "But why…?"

"It could be that the runes respond to wand-touch – not human touch," Worboyes speculated.

"My thought also." Snape nodded. "Use your wand on the runes, girl. Ascending first – then descending."

"All right," Luna cheerfully replied. She had her wand handed over to her.

Once more, the sealed door did not open. However, it now glowed with a faint purple light.

"Ahh… Try the door handle now, Worboyes."

"Professor Snape? There's still some magic surrounding the door. I'm not sure tha…"

"Do you wish to report to the Dark Lord that we have failed to locate the Master Wand for _him_, because of a rune-locked door?"

"N-no! Of-of course not…"

"Then do as I command – and get that door open now! We need to press on!"

"Y-yes, Professor…" As Harry and Ernie watched, the mean-looking, gruff-voiced Death Eater cast a Protego spell upon himself – then pushed upon the door slab…

"_Aaaggghhh!" _An electric arc-like effect lit up Worboyes's body – before the startled eyes of the vampires and the Death Eaters, their prisoners, and the two unseen wizards hidden below. The cavern rang with screams and cries of terror, as the disintegrated remains of Worboyes's body and clothing collapsed to the ground in a smoking heap of organic liquids.

Luna's usual wide-eyed expression swiftly turned more profound, as she quickly backpedalled into the reassuring arms of Neville and Hannah.

Snape was the first to regain his composure. He stared at the mess before him, fascinated. "Impressive…!" Harry was able to hear him say.

"Wow! He came to a sticky end… Literally!" Neville blurted, as he held the trembling Luna.

"That's one less blackclad for us to worry about," Ernie muttered to Harry. "Thank Merlin it wasn't one of the prisoners…"

He trailed off. Creaking, grinding noises were now emanating from on high, within the cavern. Snape's party craned their necks as they looked around. Laura Madden gave a strangled cry.

"There!" She pointed back to the left-hand rocky ledge – back on the far side of the bridge they had crossed. Hidden in a cleft in the Cathedral cavern's ceiling, two animated gargoyles emerged into the light cast by the Death Eaters' _lumos_ spells. Both of them carried a stone dagger in one hand.

Grinning malevolently, the sentinels flapped their bat-like wings – then swooped upon the clustered humans.

"Everyone – keep down! Durrant, Nott – watch the prisoners. Crabbe, Goyle – fight those gargoyles off! Mr Krave, and you other vampires – do something!" Snape lashed out orders.

Before the startled eyes of Harry and Ernie, the scene above descended into chaos. The pair of gargoyles dived and banked in the air, continuously changing direction – avoiding the jinxes and Killing Curse spells fired at them. Then Harry spied the previously-unmoving gargoyles above the sealed doorway twitch and become animated. One of them was armed with a stone mace, whilst in the hand of the other sentinel a shimmering lasso suddenly erupted into being. Soon, the air above the bridge and surrounding ledges was filled with four soaring stone guardians. Although they occasionally wheeled up, around and underneath the bridge, whilst never colliding into each other – they kept their attention firmly upon the Death Eaters and vampires fighting back against them. Meanwhile, the three vampires were morphing into…

Harry and Ernie stood spellbound as the clothes of the vampires vanished on them, and they each transformed into a half-man, half-bat creature within the minute. Spreading out their newly-grown leathery wings, Krave, his coven-sister, and his coven-brother then took off, to attack the gargoyles with the sharp claws protruding from their feet…

A moment later, Durrant's scream joined the ghastly chorus of shouting, spell-blasts, screeching, and frantic yelling, as the mace-wielding gargoyle sent her falling over the bridge.

Her ongoing cry echoed off the cavern walls – then it was silenced as she landed on the rocky floor, just missing Ernie.

The two wizards recovered their breaths, and got moving again. Ernie snatched up the wand of the fallen Death Eater, shuddering at her expression. Durrant's mouth was frozen open in a scream of horror – her eyes equally wide and lifeless. Blood started to dribble out of the side facing the ground. On a whim, Ernie checked the cloak pockets – and, smiling, pulled out another wand.

"I recognise that – it's Neville's! Now get ready, Ernie!" Harry urged him. "If any of the prisoners go down the same way, use the Impedimenta spell!"

"Harry!" Ernie pointed upwards with his newly-acquired wand. Harry followed Ernie's gaze, and drew in a sharp breath.

The battle on high had descended into a mad scramble. Some of the prisoners had decided to make a break for it, whilst the Death Eaters were too preoccupied with defending themselves against the swooping and diving gargoyles. There were several flashes of light from fired wands. In the confusion, a Death Eater (Harry didn't catch the face in time) seemed to bump into Luna, on the rim of the rocky ledge. There was another flash of a spell being fired.

With a scream, the Ravenclaw pupil toppled over.

Time seemed to stretch out. Luna appeared to fall slowly, as Harry's instincts kicked in. He heard himself bellowing _"Get underneath her!"_ to Ernie, as he jumped across the cavern floor and ran over to the rocks before him. Now there was nothing in his way to fire his wand at the descending target that was one of his friends.

"_Impediment_a!" he cried out.

"_Impedimenta_!_"_ Ernie echoed his call.

Two spell bursts struck Luna Lovegood – and suddenly her somewhat-petite body was frozen in mid-descent. Her scream died away on her lips, but her mouth remained open, in an 'Oh!' of surprise.

As one, Harry and Ernie slowly re-directed their wands, lowering Luna down to the cavern floor. When she was just a meter or so above the rocks, Harry dropped his wand and carefully rolled himself under the spellbound Ravenclaw.

"Ready, Ernie. Let her go!"

"Right!" Ernie nodded. _"Finite!"_

Cutting off the remaining holding spell, Ernie watched as Luna was dropped, face-down, into Harry's arms and chest. He winced from the impact, but then smiled with relief as Luna gradually got her composure back. Dropping the wand that she still had clenched in one hand, the pale-blonde girl hugged him. She looked up into two relieved faces.

"Harry…! Ernie! Thank you… I've never had a living cushion before!"

"Um… You're welcome, Luna!" Harry grinned, despite feeling embarrassed at Luna's physical affection – understandable as it was. He patted her shoulder, and then gently rolled her off him. "Erm… We'd better move on before someone else…"

He trailed off, as another grisly sight captured his attention. One of the male Death Eaters had his neck firmly ensnared by the magical, glowing lash of one of the gargoyles. Currently, he was being suspended above the bridge with the leering guardian flapping its wings in mid-air. The flying creature then banked, to avoid a swoop from one of the airborne vampires.

"Crabbe…," Harry muttered to his companions. "It's Vincent Crabbe's father."

Now hovering high above the chasm and the unseen Harry, Ernie, and Luna, the captive Crabbe Senior dropped his wand, and violently choked – his face turning purple, as he desperately fought to free himself from the tightening lash.

Seconds later, his arms fell limp.

In the next instant, Crabbe Senior's body dropped to the cavern floor – in two parts. The three DA members yelled as the torso landed close by, followed by the decapitated head, which rolled to a halt upon the cavern floor next to the stream.

Gulping, Ernie quickly hurried over to the dropped wand, and retrieved it. Meanwhile, Harry and Luna took a moment to compose their nerves, as they looked away from Crabbe's frozen, bulging eyes.

"Right…," Harry gathered his wits and addressed his companions. "We've all got a wand each then. And two spares – including Neville's! Let's help the other prisoners!"

"Harry…" Ernie warned him. "We'll have to go back through the secret door. Where we lost the golem."

Harry felt himself shudder at the thought of the metal-rock hybrid monstrosity. Taking a deep breath, he responded, "Luna – apart from using the stone staircase up, is there another way to reach our friends and the Muggles?"

"Apart from flying? No," Luna answered. Her expression turned dreamy. "You know, I rather think Professor Snape was expecting me to fly, when he knocked me off the ledge…"

"Snape! It was him who nearly killed you!.?" Harry exploded. "Then that's another reason why I'm going to make him suffer, when I catch up with him…!"

Luna looked at him with concern. "Harry – you need to calm down. I think there's more going on than you reali…"

But Harry was already running out of the cavern, back towards the secret door. "Come on!" he yelled back at Ernie and Luna. "Before any more prisoners die!"

Wands at the ready, the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw pupils nodded, and ran to keep up with Harry.

*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

Luckily for them, when Ernie opened the secret door with the same password, there was no Juggernaut awaiting them on the staircase. Sighing with relief, Harry, Ernie, and Luna all ran upstairs. Having travelled this way before, Luna informed the boys that there were no traps to watch out for. Yet.

Beyond the staircase, there was another lit cave. This one had a pool of water within a hollowed-out ledge, set to one side.

The other noticeable feature within the cave was the scattered, burnt pieces of one of the male vampires. Imbedded in the remains of the chest was a fragment of a metal disc.

"What the…?" Ernie gasped.

"Oh! One of the vampires somehow activated a trap. It was something like a Muggle mine – fixed into the floor," Luna explained, smiling serenely. "It didn't go off when most of the party passed over it – only when this vampire, along with Professor Snape and that father of Theodore Nott, were bringing up the rear."

"Pity it didn't get Snape," Harry muttered.

"The vampire's body shielded the other two from the blast." Luna pointed ahead to a tunnel at the far end of the cave. "We just need to head along there, and…"

"Hush!" Ernie interrupted. From the tunnel, the sounds of yelling and the footfalls of pounding feet could now be clearly heard. Ernie rushed over, and cautiously peeped into the level, but dimly-lit, corridor. He then turned his beaming face to Harry and Luna.

"The prisoners have escaped! And they're heading this way!" he declared.

"Right… Um…" Harry tried to think quickly. "We'd better get them out of here, if they're wandless! The Muggles too. Then…"

"Then what should we do, Harry?" Luna tilted her head, her silver-grey eyes looking keenly at him.

_Why do I always have to make the decisions?_ He grimaced. _Oh, that's right… It's because I can't help being the hot-headed one! And everyone else then just falls in behind with me…_

"Er… Don't worry! I'll have a plan ready, you'll be happy to hear," he replied, returning eye-contact with Ernie and Luna.

"I'll be even more ecstatic to discover that it works…," Ernie announced drily. He looked back along the new tunnel. "Zachery! Justin! Hannah! Keep running!"

"It's Ernie!" Justin yelled back. "C'mon, guys!"

Several teenagers – the Hufflepuff students, plus the kidnapped Muggles, increased their pace. Then other figures appeared behind them – a Death Eater and a vampire…

"_Avada Kedavra!"_ the one in front – Goyle Senior – sneered.

"Get down, everyone!" Harry yelled.

One of the escapees gave a piercing yell, as he was struck from behind by the green flash of light streaking along the corridor. With horror, Harry recognised him as Jimmy Peakes - one of the Gryffindor Quidditch Beaters. His lit body seemed to freeze for a moment – or maybe it was simply Harry's perception of yet another needless death. Then the glow faded – and the young man fell forwards, never to rise again.

Neville Longbottom and the blonde-haired, bespectacled Hufflepuff girl Harry had seen earlier had thrown themselves to the floor – in time to avoid the Unforgiveable Curse. Also sprawled nearby were Zachery Smith and the frightened-looking Hannah Abbott. Hannah's blonde-brown hair, which used to be in pigtails, was now draped over her multi-coloured sweater. The escapees paused – then the ones in front got up and ran on, driven by their fear of being the next to die.

"_Run!_ Don't stop now!" Ernie urged them. Harry echoed his rallying cry.

The lead vampire, a man, hissed – exposing his fangs. "It's Harry Potter! Get him!"

"Don't kill the boy, Krave!" Goyle Senior retorted. "You know our Lord's orders!"

"_Stupefy!"_ Harry and Ernie cried out, as they ran into the tunnel and got a clear line of fire past the fleeing prisoners. The vampire and Gregory Goyle's dad tried to dodge aside the beams of red light zipping by the still cowering Zachery and Hannah. The two men weren't quick enough, however, and they both went down – out for the count.

"Zachery, Hannah – one of you grab Goyle's wand! Be careful – there's more coming!" Harry barked at them.

Zachery Smith looked back along the corridor, to see the next wave of the captors. "You can't be serious…!" he protested, not moving from his crouched position.

"I'll do it!" Hannah shot back, as she scampered back up and backtracked to scoop up the latest dropped wand. Then she gave a terrified yell. The first of the oncoming attackers – a well-dressed and attractive Hispanic female - rushed towards her at an inhuman speed, and seized the Hufflepuff girl by the jaw and wand-arm. The new arrival then bared her sharp teeth, and twisted Hannah's forearm – forcing her to drop Goyle's wand. Her captive whimpered and went wide-eyed, frozen with shock and terror.

"Hannah!" Ernie stepped forward – only for Harry to hold him in place.

"All of you – throw away your wands, and surrender!" the vampiress gloated with a faint American twang to her voice, as she ran her fingers across Hannah's smooth face. "Or this pretty one becomes my appetiser…"

"No! Don't stop for me! Run – mmph!" Hannah's words were suddenly cut off, as the vampiress shifted her hand to cover her captive's mouth.

Harry's eyes took in the scene before him. The foul creature was holding Hannah in front of her as a shield. It would be near impossible to hit the undead being with a spell. He saw the fear in Hannah's young, wide eyes. Saw, too, the running figure of Nott Senior racing up along the tunnel to deal with them…

"Harry…?" Ernie gaped at him, in his uncertainty.

"I can't risk Hannah getting killed…" Harry shot a meaningful glance back at Ernie. "Could you?"

The lump in Ernie's throat bobbed up and down. He began to lower his wand, as he struggled to contain his feelings for his friend. "Promise that you'll let her live!" he snapped at the Hispanic vampiress.

She laughed. "All right, mortal! I'll…"

Then Luna suddenly ran up to them, and pointed her wand at an orange coloured rock. It was set in the wall close to the crouched Zachery Smith. _"Activicus!"_ she cried out.

There was a grating, grinding nose – and then, from a hidden gap in the dimly-lit passageway, a slab of rock about a foot thick, slowly began rolling across, threatening to cut the tunnel into two.

With Hannah, the vampiress, and the protesting Nott Senior on the other side of the forming barrier.

Zachery Smith's face turned boggled-eyed, as he realised that he was about to have his foot cut in half. Rolling to one side, he shot up and ran over to Harry, Ernie, and Luna.

"_Nooo!"_

Harry, and Neville – who was just behind him – were the first to act. Tucking his wand away, Harry and his fellow Gryffindor friend dashed over to the sliding stone wall, and pressed their combined weights against the edge, holding it in place. For the time being.

Ernie, too, ran over to help out. "Hannah!" he yelled.

Hannah's petrified eyes became wider. Tensing her free arm, she suddenly slammed her elbow into the vampiress's stomach, winding the older woman. Then the plucky Hufflepuff jerked her head back, landing another blow. Breaking free of her undead captor's loosened grip, Hannah sprinted onwards and reached the slowly-narrowing gap left by the sliding stone wall. Harry and Neville were struggling to keep it in place. Their faces turned red, their hands became sweaty, and their arms ached with faltering strength…

Then Hannah screamed and fell forwards – right where the oncoming barrier threatened to cut into her.

The vampiress had managed to spring forward, and grab hold of her leg.

"Grab my arms!" Ernie yelled to Hannah, throwing himself in front of her.

She did so – and Ernie pulled her towards him. Then the vampiress tried to pull Hannah back – turning the poor girl into the rope in a deadly game of tug-o-war.

"Neville! Help Ernie…!" Harry gritted his teeth. Then he yelled as Vordarna's acolyte grabbed hold of his leg with one of her arms.

"Harry – no!" Neville cried out.

What happened next was something of a blur for Harry. He felt Neville pulling him away from the edge of the pressing weight of the vertical stone slab. Then he tumbled over to his left, even as Hannah was pulled in his direction, in tandem with him. There was a piercing scream, a sickening _crunch_ of bones, and a splay of blood issuing from the now sealed-off passageway.

Gasping, Harry got up from the tunnel floor. He had fallen next to Neville, Ernie, and Hannah. All four of them stared at the bizarre sight before them.

The arms of the Hispanic vampiress were pressed together - protruding from the remaining space where the sliding barrier had met the opposite tunnel wall. The position of the richly-dressed body made it clear where the vampiress's head now was…

Hannah made a little _'Hic!'_-like noise - then she sobbed as Ernie held her to his chest.

"It's alright. I'm here. You are safe now…" he whispered softly to her.

Harry winced, and pulled out his wand to wash out the blood on him and his fellow DA fighters.

Once he felt that his legs had stopped feeling like jelly, Harry carefully got up and glanced at the sealed barrier again. The muffled voice of Nott Senior could just be heard, coming from the other side of it. There was the sound of a spell blast – but the barrier held, apparently not damaged in the least.

_I guess it's warded against magic. Lucky for us…_

Harry's pounding heart began to return to its normal rate, as he turned round and slowly walked over to join Luna, Neville, the Hufflepuffs, and the two speechless black Muggles at the mouth of the tunnel. They bore bruises and cuts – and their clothes were looking the worse for wear in places. But they were safe.

The question was, for how long?

_Author's note:_

_Ernie's cynical response to Harry stating he has a plan, is based on a quotation from the Farscape episode 'Through The Looking Glass'_

_Please review! Let me know if I'm doing anything wrong – or right!_


	4. Chapter 4: The Tunnel Of Oppression

**Chapter Four:**

**The Tunnel Of Oppression**

_Author's note:_

_Hopefully, this chapter will give you a shiver or two, in time for Halloween!_

Whilst Hannah continued to sob, gratefully clinging to Ernie, the other Hufflepuffs present – Laura Madley, Justin, and Neville's bespectacled female friend, came over one-by-one to pat them on the shoulders. In Zacharias's case, it was merely to offer a few words of encouragement.

Harry glanced around to see who else was now out of the immediate clutches of the Death Eaters and the vampires. There were a couple of bewildered-looking teenaged Muggles – a boy and a girl – who Zacharias was now speaking to. Neville Longbottom too, was presently re-gathering his wits – and he got up to shake hands with Harry.

"Glad to see you, Harry – by the way!"

"Likewise." Harry smiled back. "Were there any other prisoners still with…?"

"No…" Neville's cheerful expression dropped, and he glanced down at the floor of the cave. "One of the Gryffindor pupils kidnapped after us – Jimmy Peakes… He got shot down by a Killing Curse, back in that tunnel. We're all that's left now. I make it two of Zacharias's group of Muggle pals have copped it. Both caught in traps in the lower tunnels. You-Know-Who was around to see the first one die. He just laughed, when that happened!"

Harry nodded - then turned his attention to Luna, who was sat down next to the ledge with the pool. He noticed that she was frowning. "Are you all right?" he asked her.

She gave a little nod. "I think so," she answered in her usual light, dreamy-sounding voice.

"How did you know about that sliding stone door?"

"I didn't, Harry. Something in me just took over at the right moment. I think…I was imperiused to activate the barrier when I knew it would help Hannah. Only I misjudged her distance to the sliding slab."

"Imperiused…?"

"You know. The Unforgiveable Curse that specifically makes the victim do something against their own will. Sometimes without them even remembering the act later on…"

"I know what the spell involves, Luna! But who cast it on you?"

"I don't recall, Harry. Or even when it was cast on me…"

"It's like I knew how to find that secret door," Ernie spoke up, looking thoughtful. He was walking over with Hannah to them. "Do you think…someone amongst the Death Eaters…is helping us?"

Harry gave a start. He had forgotten about the source of information that had led the Order of the Phoenix to the Welsh safe house.

"The Redeemer…," he half-whispered. "He or she must have cast imperious spells on you two – Ernie, Luna…"

"A Death Eater is secretly _aiding_ us?" Hannah sniffed, as she dried her eyes, perking up with surprise at this news. The others were paying attention to Harry now, as well.

"Who was still alive among the Death Eaters and vampires, last you knew – anyone?" Harry addressed the young party of wizards, witches, and Muggles.

"There were four vampires with us – after Lady Vordarna was called away." Neville began counting on his fingers. "One of died in here – you can still see little bits of him… Another of the male vampires perished, thanks to the claws of a gargoyle – I managed to see that, as I looked back, running out of that big cavern. Thankfully, the gargoyles ignored us prisoners altogether! Vampire number Three… Well… She's feeling a little depressed at the moment - as you no doubt noticed, back there! So it's only Mr Krave left out of that lot."

"As for the Death Eaters – Professor Snape was put in charge of leading the group," the bespectacled female Hufflepuff pointed out. "Durrant fell from the bridge, Worboyes got zapped by that rune trap…"

"And there were the three dads of those Slytherin pupils," Zacharias added. "Misters Crabbe, Goyle, and Nott. That's it."

"And Crabbe Senior's dead," Harry told them. "I can't see him – or Mr Goyle being on our side. They were both amongst the first to respond to Vol… To You-Know-Who's summons when Snakeface got his body restored, at that graveyard in Little Hangleton. And there's no way Snape could be the Redeemer! Not after what he did to Professor Dumbledore! And years ago, he leaked information to Voldie – information that led that…_monster_…killing my parents!"

"So that just leaves the oldest Death Eater – Mr Nott," Luna observed.

"Wait…," Laura Madley announced, narrowing her eyes. "About a month ago, I overheard Theodore Nott having an emotional conversation with Millicent Bulstrode, at Hogwarts. He was telling her that he was considering leaving home – as he and his dad had been at loggerheads since their last conversation at Easter."

"Loggerheads…?" Zacharias Smith enquired.

"Yes – a curious Muggle expression that I've learnt about," Luna remarked airily. "It means that they were having an argu…"

Zacharias rolled his eyes. "I know what it means, Loony! But what were…?"

"…what were Theodore Nott and his father arguing about, Laura? Any ideas?" Harry butted in - keen to shut Zacharias up, after his snipe at Luna.

"I certainly do know! They were arguing about following the cause of You-Know-Who, whilst they were in a deserted corridor. I stopped at the corner, when I realised what they were talking about. Theodore said to Millicent that his father told him he felt trapped in being a Death Eater. That he wanted to do 'his own thing'. Millicent shot back, saying that his father should be proud to follow the Dark Lord – and have more backbone. And I saw Theodore nod back. Then the school bell rang for the next lesson – and the conversation ended."

"And Mr Nott was with us, when Snape instructed the golem to guard us, Harry," Ernie reminded him. "He must have confounded me with non-verbal magic when he pointed his wand at my head – planting that password into my mind!" He then frowned. "But how would anyone know what the password was…?"

"The password to that secret door we came through?" Luna rose and tilted her face as she looked at Ernie. "That's a very good question, Ern…"

Suddenly, the room seemed to swirl and turn dark in Harry's field of vision. He cried out, feeling a stabbing pain coming from his lightning-shaped curse scar.

"Harry!" The voices of Neville, Luna, and Ernie all blended into one – as Harry was mentally snatched away from the cave. Now he was somewhere else entirely. The lights of fairground attractions were all around him – and there were crowds of people – _filthy Muggles_ – close by. The children, and some of their parents, were riding on painted, lifeless horses. A group of laughing young men took it in turns to swing a hammer onto a panel at the base of a gaudy-lit machine that read 'Test Your Strength'. A little further afield were more people, screaming with delight on another under cover attraction, as they rode giant metal contraptions with rods sticking upwards at the back – bumping into each other on a flat, black surface.

_Stupid Muggles. They would scream one day, all right. But not out of pleasure. Not their own, anyway… _

Harry winced, hating the thoughts that were not his own. He tried to focus – and then he was able to see the castle upon the volcanic outcrop that dominated the skyline in his vision. A show of some kind was playing from the far side of the buildings, beneath floodlit lights. Bagpipes were being carried on the spring evening air.

He felt his hand close of its own accord upon the strawberry-blonde hair of the pale-faced woman who was the target of his fury. Dragging his captive behind the cover of some bushes, his Death Eaters stood watch, whilst the other female beside him – a black woman, attired like a Lady – stepped forward in alarm.

"My Lord! Dr Darnell is _my _responsibility! Allow me to question and deal with her! I beg of you…"

"Lady Vordarna – you servant has led us on a very long, time-consuming chase. For this!" And in his other, clenched hand, Harry saw an object like a jewelled headband – adorned with a miniature eagle on the metalwork. Close by, laid out on the ground, was an upturned suitcase.

"But you have retrieved what Abnoba has stolen…" Vordarna trailed off, as she stared into the face of the being Harry's mind was linked to.

The voice that was Harry's – but not his - hissed again. It seethed with fury.

"NO! This…diadem…is _not_ what was taken from the suitcase I left in that cellar! It is a FAKE! Where is the _real_ one – vampire?" Harry's hand pulled again at Abnoba Darnell's hair.

"I… I do not know, my Lord! Nor do I know…why I had to take this…_thing. _My mind has been…cloudy…ever since…"

"Ever since when? _Answer_ me – leech!"

"Ever since I was at Malfoy Manor. I remember…some magic striking me. I do not recall who cast it!"

_The Imperious Curse!_ The fierce, angry thoughts were bombarding Harry's mind from the one he was still linked to. Someone – an expert – had ordered Darnell to attack the Malfoy brat, and make it seem that the vampire doctor had stolen the diadem? But _who_? And w_hy_?

_What had become of the real diadem? And…the Master Wand…!_

Bellatrix cautiously approached. "M-my Lord. Perhaps we should…check on the _items_ we used on New Year's Eve…" Her voice shook with fear.

_The most recent Horcrux! Yes. Yes… The manor first – then the caves…_

"We shall do that, Bellatrix… And maybe your beloved nephew can redeem himself, by aiding us!" He rasped back. Harry's other self turned to the rest of his servants. "Back to the Manor…!"

And abruptly as the vision began, the scene vanished.

Harry collapsed upon his knees and gasped. Slowly, his eyesight stopped swimming. He felt Luna's cool hand holding his wrist, checking his pulse. Saw her kneeing besides him. Saw the worry on the faces of all the youngsters with them.

"Harry?" Luna's dreamy voice reached his ears, as he recovered from the mind link to Voldemort. She gently placed her other hand on his chin, encouraging him to look up. "What's wrong? Did the Wrackspurts in your head overwhelm you? Or did you have a vision of…" Luna glanced across to Ernie for inspiration. "…What's-His-Name? Hermione said that you sometimes had _His_ thoughts invading your mind…"

"Yeah… It was the latter case," Harry muttered. With Luna's help, he got up.

"Listen, everyone! Voldemort's in Edinburgh – but he's going to be coming here, soon! Along with company. You all need to get out…!"

Justin raised a hand. "No one can apparate in or out of here, Harry. The black orbs through this cave system apparently prevent that. We'll have to reach the end of the first cave, next to the entrance, to apparate away. That's where the wards end…"

"But I can't apparate well enough!" Hannah protested. Some of the other Hufflepuffs voiced their concerns about taking on board the Muggles for Side-Along Apparation.

"And there's that carpet Portkey!" Ernie snapped his fingers, remembering. "We could reverse its path of travel… Right, Hannah – stick with me! Who else is for the Portkey?"

There was a babble of voices, as the company tried to organise themselves.

"Look. We will do this! But we'd better leave right now, since there's only three wands between us!" Neville raised his voice. Harry noticed that he was holding the hand of the blonde Hufflepuff girl next to him.

"Ah! Five actually. With all that action going on, I forgot…" Ernie pulled out the two spare wands he had on him. Here's yours, Neville. Who wants this one?"

"I'll volunteer." Laura Madden held up her hand – and took the offered wand.

"Anyway… Good luck to you all! But I've got business to finish here – so sort yourselves out," Harry told them.

"What the hell…?" Zacharias trailed off.

"Is this…part of your ongoing mission, Harry?" Luna tilted her head, gazing at him intensely with her silver-grey eyes.

He nodded. "I think the Redeemer has fooled Voldemort – sent him on a wild goose chase after someone else who stole something from him. But the thief had a fake copy! I need to find the real one. If Nott's the Redeemer, he might have it on him right now…"

"But if you stay, Harry, You-Know-Who will track you down! He'll try to kill you, himself!" Luna pointed out. She looked afraid – which was unusual for her, Harry thought to himself.

"Luna… I have to do this! Maybe…maybe if I can track down this Master Wand Voldemort is after, myself, I will be able to survive him."

The others stared at him. Realising that his mind was made up, Neville nodded. "Alright, Harry. Be _careful_. We'll try to get out of here – and send for the cavalry, so to speak…"

A harsh clanking noise resounded through the tunnel that connected the cave the teenagers were in, to the staircase not far away. Alarmed, everyone turned, to see the menacing form of the metal and stone golem – the Juggernaut – emerge into the cave. It paused; the amber fire in its eyes smouldering with a sulphur-like glow as it slowly turned its head from side to side.

Almost everybody screamed. Luna took a step back, her eyes widening. An _'Ooh!'_ escaped her lips. Harry and Ernie, having already encountered the monstrosity, merely drew in their breaths – and they were the first to re-gather their wits.

"What the hell is…_that_?" the Muggle boy jabbed his finger at the metal and stone entity.

"It's a golem!" Harry shouted back. "Stay out of its way! It'll be after me more than anyone else…"

The Juggernaut began moving again. With a grinding of bronze and smooth rock, it raised its arms forward. One gauntlet hinged open in a 'ready-to-grab' position. The other formed a fist and swung at the nearest teenage wizard. Neville gulped and quickly backpedalled.

"Wands! Harry – Luna!" Ernie yelled, as he aimed his. "Everyone else – keep clear!"

"It absorbs magic – remember!.?" Harry retorted. Then a thought came to him. "Wait a moment… _Expulso!_" He fired his wand at the rocky floor immediately before the golem. The spell blasted a few slivers from the stone surface, striking the Juggernaut's legs. The displacement of air also rocked the sentinel, making it clumsily wave its arms about, in order to regain its balance. Then it turned its attention to Harry.

"That's it! Keeping _me_ captive is your primary objective! Forget about everyone else escaping… Try to catch me – if you can!" Harry taunted the golem. He was rewarded by seeing it _'clump-clank'_ing its way towards him. Meanwhile, the Hufflepuffs and the two Muggles with them dodged past the golem, ran out of the cave, and hurried down the staircase beyond – leaving just the Juggernaut, Harry, Ernie, and Luna behind.

"Right…" Harry looked for a suitable crack in the roof of the cave, and picked one – pointing to it with his wand. "Ernie, Luna! Aim a blasting spell – just next to that weak point there. On my mark of three. Ready?"

"Set." Ernie nodded.

"Ready!" Luna smiled back.

"One… Two…"

With a grinding noise, the golem raised its arms again. The gauntlets sprang open once more – like stiff metal pincers.

"Three. _Expulso!"_

Two blasting spells struck around the crack in the roof – whilst Harry's slammed into the crack itself. There was a nerve-wracking, splitting sound – and then part of the cave roof came down upon the Juggernaut, causing it to fall to one side, before it became buried beneath the newly-created rocks. The three pupils quickly cast another spell, to shield themselves from the flying debris and dust.

For a few seconds, Harry, Ernie, and Luna appraised their work – grateful that they hadn't brought the cave roof down upon themselves, as well. Then Harry gasped as the gauntlet that was still exposed began to flex its bronze fingers. The eerie sight chilled Harry to his bones…

"Let's split! Wait…!" Harry hurriedly pulled out from his jacket pocket the folded-up invisibility cloak. "Use this…and good luck!"

"You, too," Ernie retorted, as he shook out the cloak and held it over his shoulder, with one hand not letting go of the end.

"Take care, Harry," Luna gave him a long, intense stare. Her eyes seemed to be moist. "Please remember to come back to us!"

"I will," Harry answered back – and then before they could do anything else, the moment was lost. The Juggernaut was moving its limbs, trying to shake off the rocky detritus covering it. The trio sprinted for the tunnel that led to the stone steps. At the bottom, Ernie and Luna ran on along the continuing tunnel – whilst Harry stopped at the first landing from the bottom – looking for the stone that Ernie had pressed earlier.

_Clump-clank, clump-clank…_

Sweating with fear, Harry looked up. The golem was already descending the steps – looking battered by its encounter with the falling roof, but proving itself to be very much intact…

"C'mon! Which one are you?" Harry spat, as he pressed one stone after the other. "Forgiveness… _Forgiveness!"_ His heart pounded loudly in his chest.

Then the secret doorway gave way. Harry quickly stepped inside, and allowed the sliding stonework to close of its own accord behind him. His smile of relief, as he stood in the dark passageway, vanished as the golem began hammering with its fists against the closed portal.

_Dumm! Dumm! DUMM…!_ A crack began to appear at one edge of the secret door.

_Oh…cobblers! It's…it's going to get through – eventually!_

_How do I destroy this thing, when it's impervious to magic!.?_

Harry had no answer to give himself at that moment. Instead, he turned and ran on,

Once he was back inside the cathedral dome-shaped cavern, Harry quickly cast his eyes around the scene. The body of the female Death Eater, Miss Durrant as Snape had called her, still lay sprawled on the rocks close to the stream – underneath the bridge from where she had taken her fatal fall.

Harry hurried onwards, reaching the flowing stream at the bottom of the cavern. There were a series of stepping stones here, and he carefully leapt across them, landing upon the other bank. Then he gave a start, feeling his heart lurch with fright. The body of one of the male vampires, still in bat-like form was lying on the rocks of the far bank, still bleeding from the numerous gashes he had inflicted. The gargoyle that had killed him was perched on top of its winged foe. It looked up at Harry with a stony face bearing a wide grin. Crackling, it spread out its wings and flew off – only to land on the deceased Durrant. It then proceeded to bite into one of her hands, gnawing at her soft flesh…

Harry momentarily clenched his eyes shut.

_Okay… Now I know what happens to the bodies of those who die in these blasted caves!_

A loud 'crash' and the noise of falling stones echoed along the tunnel Harry had just travelled. Then came the steady, _clump-clank_ of the Juggernaut's steps. Harry sucked in his breath – the dammed golem had broken through the secret door with its fists.

_Would it be able to cross the stepping stones on the river…?_

He wasn't waiting to find out, and he quickly – but carefully – crossed the stones himself. He stopped only briefly, drawing in his breath, upon seeing the body of another Death Eater floating face-down in the stream.

_Mr Goyle… So Voldemort's lost yet another lackey!_

Harry pressed on, reaching the far bank. There was only one visible exit on this side of the cavern floor – a tunnel entrance. The new passageway, however, was unlike the ones before – in that it was pitch black.

"_Lumos,"_ Harry intoned at the mouth to the tunnel. His wand lit up, and he stepped inside.

Immediately, his magical light went out. He froze, and tried again with the light spell.

Nothing. The tunnel remained dark, cold, and uninviting. Behind him, the approach of the Juggernaut grew louder.

_I've got no choice… There's no one left moving up above. I have to find that blasted diadem-horcrux. Something tells me it lies this way! So…move it, Harry!_

With one shaking hand on his wand, and the other pressing against the tunnel wall to guide him, Harry Potter advanced into the inky blackness.

*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

Almost immediately, Harry felt a horrible sensation. The atmosphere, the darkness itself, seemed to press in on him, squeezing his body, his head, and his lungs, forcing the breath out of him. He halted, gasping – then forced himself on.

An image formed in his mind, unbidden. Harry was horrified to find himself back in Number 4, Privet End. In the main bedroom, Uncle Vernon was slapping the backside of the young Harry with his shoe. He heard himself cry out.

"_Stop it! Stop it…!"_

"_Be silent, boy! When we tell you to do a job in this house, you do it. And don't you dare complain about Dudley or your Aunt – or me – to the teachers at school ever again! Got it? From now on, whenever they ask – you tell the teachers that you wouldn't want to have any other family…! Nobody would take you, anyway! You remember that…"_

"No, Uncle Vernon! You can't hurt me now! Get out of my head! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Harry yelled out his anger.

The vision abruptly vanished, and for a few moments Harry was left, gasping - alone once more in the black void. There was still a tunnel wall present as he reached out his left palm to steady himself. And there was still a rock-hewn floor underneath his shuffling feet. Taking a deep breath, Harry pressed on.

A roaring sensation suddenly overtook him. Harry closed his hands over his ears, and shut his eyes. When he dared to look again, his mouth hung open.

He was in the mist-shrouded graveyard at Little Hangleton. Cedric Diggory was alive once more, standing beside him. Peter Pettigrew stood before them, carrying something hideous in his cradling hand.

"No – Cedric! Get back to the Portkey!" Harry instinctively cried out – knowing all too well, what would happen next. He could not see himself – but he knew that it was all in his head. His mind's eye…

"_Kill the spare,"_ the misshapen remains of Lord Voldemort instructed his bearer. His wand – in the hands of Pettigrew – flashed lime-green, and Cedric was shot down again, sent flying into a tombstone by the spell blast.

_Dammit! _Harry gritted his teeth, and tried to focus his mind. To shield it against whatever power was forcing him to relive his most hated moments. He tried to remember what little he had managed to pick up from his extra-curriculum Occlumency lessons with Snape, two years ago. More nightmarish recollections now assailed him: facing Voldemort twice at Hogwarts, fighting with the Basilisk, fearing for Ginny's life after the battle – then, months later, being attacked by the Dementor on the Hogwarts Express, and being chilled to his very soul on the other occasions that the ghoulish wraiths tried to leech onto him. There was more – a flooding rush of anguish and hatred all coming back to him, feeling his arm hurt as he wrote lines for the odious and sadistic Professor Umbridge; seeing Sirius die yet again and Bellatrix Lestrange laughing mockingly as she almost danced away from the scene of her crime; then being spellbound and helplessly-rigid as Snape killed Professor Dumbledore; and still there were more memories – pressing in on him, as Harry tried to push the taunting images out of his mind. Tried to force himself on in the black corridor that seemed to have no end.

There was a change in the air, now – the oxygen abruptly dwindling. Another clear visual image rammed itself into Harry's battered psyche – Hogwarts burning at night, lit by countless flames and plumes of smoke that were engulfing the whole estate, greedily licking away at the walls and wooden walkways, and even the trees of the Forbidden Forest. Harry saw the bodies of the fallen littering the ground immediately before him – pupils of all seven years and all four houses. Amongst them he spied Ernie, Hannah, Justin, Cho Chang, Luna, Neville, and Dean Thomas. Next to them were Hermione, Ron, and Ginny…

"No! You're not real! I will…NOT…let them die!" Harry bellowed, his eyes now glistening with tears. Again, he forced himself physically on. Putting his wand away, he used his hands and feet to guide his way – trying to find some way of pushing past the ghastly power that had ensnared him.

More bodies were in the vision now, as he panned round. The teachers and the entire Weasley family lay sprawled across the ruins of the school. Ginny's hair truly red, as her open wounds bled across her face and sightless eyes – her body springing round in the light wind that was fanning the illuminating, blazing fires, as she was hung with a rope around her feet from the archway leading from the courtyard. And all around the edge of the open space were other corpses, identically hanging upside down from the encircling stonework: Tonks, Remus Lupin, Mad Eye Moody, the rest of the Order of the Phoenix...

But, amidst the death and devastation, there were people still standing. All of them gloating Death Eaters. Their leader stepped forward and raised his wand.

"_I told you that you would lose everything, Harry."_ Voldemort smiled, and then invoked the Killing Curse to strike Harry down.

"_Avada…"_

_It's not real. Only an illusion…,_ Harry told himself. _Focus! If you believe in it, that spell will kill you! It's NOT real..!_

"YOU'RE NOT REAL!" he yelled out.

The vision vanished in an instant. Harry was back in the tunnel of darkness. Something, however, had changed. He could hear somebody. Not far ahead…

"No! You will not defeat me! I am the vampire Ignatius Krave – I have survived death many times…! I will survive ag-… Aagghh! The flames are an illusion! They are… _Aagghh!_

Harry could not see the male vampire before him – only sense, via his shouting, that he was merely a few feet away. Harry sensed movement – felt the air on his face shift. And then the voice rang out again. Loud and sharp at first, frightening him – then echoing away rapidly.

"_Yaaaggghhh…!_

Harry froze shock still. He trembled. Slowly, he realised what had happened.

_He thought… Krave thought he was on fire! So he stumbled… And fell… He fell into a pit!_

Harry fell to his knees. Gulping, he made himself go on, shuffling his way along the tunnel, using his hands to nervously probe the ground. Soon, he found the edge of the drop.

Mapping out the perimeter by touch, he composed himself and crawled onwards. The path bent to the right, then skirted anticlockwise around the pit. Then the right wall gave way to nothingness in the all-enclosing darkness, and Harry carefully felt his way over a short bridge.

Behind him, somewhere in the distance, a sickeningly-familiar noise was approaching…

_Clump-clank. Clump-clank...!_

He caught a glimpse of two burning yellow specks moving in the darkness. Harry felt his heart lurch with sheer terror. A trickle of cold sweat ran down his face.

_Oh…NO! Not again! Come on - move it! That thing will NOT give up chasing you!_

A minute later, the walls returned to respond to Harry's shaking hands as he reached up. The sensation of fresh air from the pit shafts faded. He stood up and felt the walls meet another sheet of rock before him. There was no way on. It was a dead end!

"What?" he gasped. Even the sound of hearing his own voice seemed unnatural in this oppressive place. "There has to be…something!"

Suddenly, a noise reached Harry's ears. A rumbling that blocked out the steady tread of the Juggernaut. The passageway behind him was being closed off by another sliding wall…

Harry spun round – but already the moving stone had sealed off his exit. Now he was confined with a small space, trapped in utter darkness.

"_Nnnooo!"_ Harry banged his fists on the new wall. Then he pulled out his wand and tried to blast his way out of his prison. Nothing happened. He was still in an area where wand magic would not work. He sobbed and then slumped against a wall, sliding down it until he reached the tunnel floor.

_Great! Just great! Now what? If I don't get out, I'll starve to death here…! No, you won't – you'll die from lack of water, or air, first! _

_It's been one trap after another in this GODFORSAKEN place!_

_I wish… I wish I had Ron and Hermione with me. They would think of a way out! No… If I'm going to die, what's the point in them dying with me…?_

Harry started to shake, and he cried openly.

_I… I'm really going to die here – aren't I? At least…, at least that will deprive Voldemort of the pleasure in killing me. But… Oh, god. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna… The Weasley family… Remus and Tonks… I didn't tell any of them just how much I appreciated what they meant to me…_

His tears continued to fall. Harry didn't care anymore. There was nobody to see him like this. Utterly broken. He was alone – as he had never been alone before…


	5. Chapter 5: The Redeemer

**Chapter Five:**

**The Redeemer**

Harry had allowed himself to wallow in self-pity for about a minute or so – when a sudden thought struck him. Nostrils flaring, he quickly got up and faced the rock walls around him in the pitch black tunnel.

_Idiot! IDIOT! What if there's a password – like the one that got me here in the first place?_

_Well, I've got to try…_

"Forgiveness." He whispered.

Nothing. There was no response from the walls.

_Think, Harry. Think! The Nameless Ones hid the Master Wand because they were afraid of its power falling into the hands of someone who would be ruthless with it. Hence all the traps. So if I was them, and if there was a password…, it would have to be something someone like Voldemort would never think of saying!_

_And the Redeemer…? If he's Nott – where is he? Where's Snape? If the Redeemer found a way on beyond this point – what he did have to say…? _

"Forgive me. I have sinned… I confess… I seek redemption!"

There was a sudden 'crack', which startled Harry. Heart in his mouth, he watched as light began to leak into the oppressive tunnel. The wall before him slowly slid open, admitting a welcome gust of fresh air. Harry shielded his eyes and looked down, so that his sight could return to normal – then he raised his head once more as he stepped out of the hated darkness. As the wall closed back to behind him, his spirits soared, and he breathed a sigh of profound relief.

_YES! It was 'redemption'!_

Another large, airy cavern – lit by more of the light-emitting crystals set into the walls - lay before him. There were also two black-clad figures on the far side of a stone bridge which spanned the middle of a dark chasm that, in turn, was situated in the centre of the cavern. The bridge bore no rails or walls to border it.

Harry suddenly straightened himself – his attention riveted. Professor Snape was lying sprawled on the rocky floor, his forehead gashed. Standing over him was the white-haired, moustached Death Eater that was the father of Theodore Nott. And he had his wand pointed at Snape's throat.

The movement of the sliding wall alerted the two men. Snape, despite his injury, was alert enough to regard Harry's arrival with surprise. Nott's reaction was one of wide-eyed astonishment – which then gave way to a smile.

"Harry…Potter!" he rumbled.

"Mr Nott…" Harry began. His eyes caught sight of a tiara-like crown lying next to Snape. It was adorned with the miniature bust of an Eagle.

So that confirmed it – the two had been fighting over the diadem. And from what Harry had learned during his research on what Voldemort could have made as Horcruxes, he now realised that this object was the lost diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw.

Nott had stolen the diadem, and confounded the vampire Darnell to flee with a fake copy – fooling Voldemort into chasing her. Only Snape had somehow found Nott out.

There was something else here, too. A large black orb, set into the floor on Harry's side of the chasm bridge, had been shattered. It was similar to the black orbs he had seen lodged in the tunnel walls throughout the cave system. According to what both Snape and Justin had said, the orbs had been the mechanism that prevented any witch or wizard from apparating in or out of the Caves of the Dead.

On the far side of the chasm and the bridge, there was another black orb – this one undamaged – set close to the two Death Eaters. And close to that was another exit, leading into the far wall of the cavern.

As Harry walked across the rocky bridge that connected the two ledges of the cavern, he drew out his wand but kept his hand low. Nott saw this, and frowned. His eyes switched attention from Snape to Harry and back again, repeatedly. But he mainly focussed on Harry.

"Aren't you going to fight me?" he asked. Nott Senior looked, and sounded, weaker than he had on their last meeting. His eyes were almost bloodshot, and he wheezed.

_That dammed tunnel and Snape have taken it out of him, I expect…_

"I don't think so," Harry carefully replied. "You've been trying to help us, haven't you? You Imperiused Ernie, so he would unlock the secret door with the first password. And doing a similar trick with Luna, making her activate the sliding door for the upper tunnel, saving the escaped prisoners from the Death Eaters and vampires."

For a moment, Nott looked stunned. Then he broke into a laugh.

"My…word! How ingenious of you, to work that out! So, Harry – what do you think is more important now? Finding the Master Wand – or destroying the diadem here?"

"I didn't come for the Master Wand! That diadem's a Horcrux – it needs to be destroyed! Somehow…" Harry retorted.

Snape, Harry noted, was keeping silent and still. But he was watching both Harry and Nott carefully.

"Yes… There's still the _how_ to be addressed," Nott considered. "But come! Watch over Snape for me. I need to recover… Although I managed to get him to stick with me, whilst finding the way into here from that insidious tunnel, Severus managed to break free from me. It was a hard battle – but I've overcome him…" Nott wheezed again.

"Watch over Snape? I'd love to!" Harry pulled out his wand and gave it a quick test with a lumos spell. The magic that had rendered his wand useless in the dark tunnel did not extend here. A moment later, Harry pressed his wand against the underside of Snape's chin.

"Potter… Do not…" The hateful nasal voice drifted up to Harry.

"Shut UP! I've enough of you, and your unfair treatment of me!"

Snape grimaced, and - using his free hand – clutched at the amulet around his neck. The amulet used to control the golem…

"NO!" Harry yelled. The sliding wall baring the way back to the dark passageway shook as something heavy collided with it.

"What…?" Nott exclaimed.

Harry spun round, and sucked in his breath. Nott Senior had rolled up the left sleeve of his Death Eater cloak, revealing the snake tattoo there. He was about to jab the tip of his wand against it…

"Aaaiiieee…!" Nott shrieked as Harry leapt for him, taking the man down with an improvised rugby tackle. Two wands rolled away from their owners, as they struck the ground. They came to a stop near the edge of the chasm, at the end of the bridge.

The sliding wall slab shuddered again – then broke into two, with a mighty 'CRA-ACK'. The Juggernaut forced itself through the shattered stonework with its mighty fists – then began striding towards Harry with the familiar, dreadful _'clump-clank, clump-clank'_ of its relentless, untiring march.

Snape had now pulled his upper body upright, to face the hybrid golem. Harry glimpsed this – but his attention was soon upon Nott again. The white-haired man was desperately trying to get back up, even crawl, to retrieve his wand. But he flinched at the looming sight of the golem which had reached the middle of the smooth stone pathway that straddled the chasm…

_Blast it! Can't fight them all at once… Have to prevent Nott from summoning Voldemort!_

But Nott was panicking now – and he changed tactics accordingly. As Harry grabbed hold of the fallen man's shoulders, slowing him down, the older man turned himself round – throwing his teenage opponent off him. Then he punched the young wizard in the face. As Harry slumped to the ground, dazed, Nott reached his wand and jabbed the tip into the snake tattoo on his left forearm. He gave Harry a gloating smile, showing his yellowing teeth – just as the shadow of the Juggernaut fell upon Harry.

_It's right behind me… I'm sunk… _Harry froze rigid, cursing himself for his failure.

Then the golem strode past him, and advanced on Nott. The Death Eater's face turned almost as white as his hair.

"Wha-what! I'm on your side! Get… Get back! _Expulso!"_

His spell, of course, was absorbed by the golem.

"Kill him, Juggernaut," Snape intoned as he slowly got up, still clutching at the glowing amulet around his neck.

Harry looked on with amazement and horror, as the golem applied a huge, opened gauntlet around the throat of Nott Senior, and lifted him off the ground. The other hand grabbed the rear of his neck.

"W-wait!" he called out. "There's – there's no need to…kill…him!"

"On the contrary, Potter," Snape retorted. "Mr Nott is eager to prove his worth to his Master. Don't feel sorry for him – he happens to be a paedophile. A child abuser. He particularly likes to have…his way…with teenage boys."

"Mercy! Let me…_gah!_ Nnn…!" Nott's eyes bulged as he choked and fought for breath. He tried to break the gauntlet's tightening grip on him – without success…

In a matter of seconds, it was over. Nott Senior hung silent and limp in the Juggernaut's grasp, like a puppet with its strings cut. Then the golem released the dead man, who collapsed with a 'thud' upon the ground. The automaton now turned to face Harry, and it promptly clamped a gauntlet firmly around his shoulder, as he tried to scramble away.

"Aagghh! Let go of me!" Harry protested, despite knowing that it would do no good.

"The Juggernaut's Directive is to locate and seize you, Potter," Snape remarked drily, as he walked over to face Harry. As he moved, he cast a healing spell to clear away the blood on his forehead. Snape then spoke again.

"I was able to use the Amulet of Command to get the Juggernaut to briefly waver from its Directive, in order to eliminate Nott. I myself cannot change the instructions that were written and placed within this golem. The Dark Lord himself undertook those actions and made this specimen imperious to wand magic. It is one of a kind – designed to be the first of many. However, _I_ alone of the Death Eaters, know the chemical process that allowed the Juggernaut to be created! Am I making myself clear to you so far, Potter?"

"Yes! Are you going to lecture me to death – until Voldie gets here?" Harry snapped back.

Was that a frown on Snape's face? "Did Nott activate his Dark Mark, then?" he asked.

Harry decided that he might as well be honest. "He did," he confirmed.

"Then we need to be ready for the Dark Lord's arrival. Especially since, with the Black Orb over there destroyed, it will be possible for _Him_ to apparate in that half of this cavern! But first…" Snape quickly fired off a spell from his wand. Harry yelled as the spell, _"Petrificus"_, rendered him immobile. With one quick use of the amulet from Snape, the golem released its young prisoner.

Another spell followed. Harry found himself levitated, then laid out, face-up on the ground. To be more exact, he was laid out on top of something smooth protruding from the cavern floor. Harry suspected it was the beachball-sized black orb that he had seen on this side of the chasm. But, although he couldn't move anything except his eyes – which couldn't pick up enough around him – Harry sensed that there was something else nearby. He could feel the sharp edge of an object against the lower edge of his jacket…

A moment later, the menacing figure of the Juggernaut advanced further, thanks to Snape's bidding. Then it was ordered to halt. The ex-Potions master of Hogwarts spoke again – this time to his captive.

"I have decided, Potter, that although the Dark Lord wishes to kill you himself, he would not object if you were…somewhat damaged."

Harry seethed with anger. He was now also sweating with fear – but he couldn't move. Couldn't even scream, or speak.

"Juggernaut – prepare to break the prisoner's right leg! Strike only on my command."

The golem obligingly raised its left gauntlet and curled it into a fist.

Harry's heart did a back flip.

_If I get the chance to move, I'm going to kill YOU, Snape!_

"This moment will give me great pleasure," Snape purred. "It may even put you out of my misery." He raised his voice.

"_Accio, Harry Potter! _Strike _now_, Juggernaut!"

Harry gave a silent cry as the cavern suddenly spun around him. His rolling body came to a halt against the feet of Severus Snape. In the meantime, there was a terrific explosion where Harry had been slumped against the black orb.

"_Finite Petrificus!" _Snape waved his wand over Harry, who then sharply turned round on the floor, dumbstruck by what he was seeing. The diadem-Horcrux was lying on the black orb. And as Snape's spell had pulled Harry aside, the Juggernaut had slammed its fist not into the prisoner, but into the Horcrux instead.

Only the explosion had clean blown off the golem's arm. As Harry's mouth dropped open, cracks began to appear and multiply amongst the metal and stony components of the Juggernaut. The yellow gleam from within its eyes faded away. Then the monstrosity swayed on its crumbling legs and fell – at an angle – to the cavern floor. As it crashed, it broke into myriad fragments.

And that was not all. Although the black orb had escaped the degree of damage that its twin in the first half of the cavern had taken earlier – the diadem had not. Before Harry's disbelieving eyes, the crushed remains of the diadem started to emit smoke, and disintegrate into fine ash. A piercing scream emanated from the destroyed crown – the sliver of Voldemort's soul that had been bound to the cursed artefact.

The scream was echoed – this time the cry rang out louder. And it came from the black-cloaked figure that had collapsed upon the middle of the chasm-bridge. Harry gave a start – the bald-headed arrival was Voldemort. And giving a strangled cry of her own as she rushed over to assist her master was Bellatrix Lestrange. Also present – but standing at the far end of the bridge from Harry and Snape - was a startled-looking Draco Malfoy, a lean male Death Eater with a curly-brown hair, and two vampire women. The first of the undead newcomers was a tall, noble-looking, Negroid lady. The second an even-more attractive, younger-looking female, with curled strawberry-blond hair.

The latter of the vampires was pointing a shaking finger at Snape.

"_Him…!"_ The white vampiress spoke with a trembling voice. "I…remember, now. _He_ was the one…who imperiused me, Lady Vordarna! _He_ instructed me to attack whoever was guarding the cellar. And to apparate from place to place, with that fake crown…"

"Then he shall suffer for using you as a scapegoat for the Dark Lord's wraith, Dr Darnell!" The black vampiress hissed, flashing her fangs. She turned her attention to Bellatrix. "Do you hear that, Lestrange? Your _real_ traitor stands before you!"

"Silence! I hear you – leech!" Bellatrix gave Lady Vordarna a brief, angry glare, before she turned back to her master and dared to touch him, by using her own arms to help lift him up. Voldemort wheezed, but as soon as he was in a kneeling position, he brushed his lieutenant away. Bellatrix reluctantly stepped aside, her unblinking eyes and white face still baring the shock of seeing her beloved Lord collapse in pain.

Harry's mind took all of this in – then he stared again at the destroyed diadem-Horcrux and the wreckage of the golem. He saw too, the slow, smirking, expression creeping across Professor Snape's face as he in turn glanced at Harry, Bellatrix, and Voldemort.

'_This moment will give me great pleasure'_, Snape had said – just before he got the Juggernaut to smash the Horcrux in oblivion.

"But… But…!" Harry could not put his words together. His jaw now dropped. Realisation slowly sunk into his numbed brain that, once again, he had badly misjudged Professor Snape.

"You…!.? _You_…took the diadem, Severus…?" Voldemort's thin, high voice sounded fragile. The red eyes were now raised, and they glared at the ex-Potions master. His strength was slowly returning, Harry realised. "Why…?"

"Why did I trick the Juggernaut into destroying your Horcrux, _Riddle?_" Snape's nasal voice was now deep, measured, and full of bile. Hatred. "Because you murdered this boy's parents!"

"You… You dare to call me _that_ name!" Voldemort roared. Slowly, he rose to his feet and produced his wand.

"Why not? It is _who_ you are, after all. Despite being abandoned by your father, your mother still loved him enough to name you after him…!"

"Take them – alive!" the Dark Lord roared, cutting off Snape's words. His wand flashed, and a rock by Harry's feet exploded, sending him off-balance. A moment later, Voldemort's female accomplices rushed forward – whilst Draco was signalled to stay back by his aunt.

Snape fired a Reducto spell of his own at Bellatrix's feet. The shock wave caused her to fall backwards, collapsing close to the edge of the flat, rocky bridge over the chasm. She screamed out her panic, and rage.

"_Sectumsempra!"_ Snape cried out. He keep moving – never stopping on the same spot for too long, Harry noted, as he himself hurriedly got back up. The cutting spell caught Darnell across her neck, as she charged towards the Potions Master, her own wand flashing a stunning spell that missed her dodging target. With a shrill cry, she collapsed upon her knees, bleeding profusely. Then all hell broke loose, as Voldemort and Bellatrix flashed jinx after spell after curse at Snape – every one of which he expertly blocked or evaded. However, he was now continuously on the defensive.

Then the Professor yelled as a cutting spell lashed the shoulder of his non-wand arm. Sweating profusely now, he shot a glance at the only visible exit on this side of the cavern – the small opening in the rock, which Harry had observed minutes before. In the opening was a strange purple fire, which almost concealed a dais beyond.

Snape began to pant for breath. He blocked another incoming spell, redirecting it back at Bellatrix, who shrieked as a weighted net suddenly materialised around her upper body, and pulled her down.

"Here! Take it, Potter!" Snape broke off long enough to throw Harry's wand back to him.

The young wizard caught it – then rolled aside to avoid a throwing dagger which Lady Vordarna had spun at him.

"No! _I _will be the one to kill the boy! When _I_ choose!" Voldermort roared in anger.

Harry took advantage of the distracted vampire, and fired a spell at her. _"Levicorpus!"_ he shouted.

A magical cord appeared around Lady Vordarna's ankle. The coven leader screamed as she was hoisted up into the air from the roof of the cavern.

Bellatrix used that moment to roll back into the fight – having freed herself from the net. "I _knew_ you couldn't be trusted, Severus!" Her piercing, manic shriek carried itself above the fighting. One of her jinxes glanced Harry's side – stinging him.

"Come with me – _now!_"

Harry gasped, as Snape roughly grabbed hold of him. In the next moment, they were both running for the purple flames – Harry having no choice but to follow. There was a sensation of probing energy as they passed through the barrier at the same time – then they both collapsed in the small chamber beyond. Harry took several deep breaths of air, and wiped his clamp, sweating face. He glared back up, to see that the peculiar fire they had crossed had abruptly intensified into a blazing discharge of red-coloured lightning sparks that flashed upwards from the floor to the ceiling of the doorway. Spells from Voldemort and his servants struck the barrier – but failed to penetrate it.

_So… I'm safe for the moment… But trapped in a little room with Snape… Great! And what else is here…?_

Harry's eyes locked onto the wand lying on the stone dais in the centre of the chamber. It seemed to constantly shimmer, so that at times it appeared to be a plain-looking wooden wand – then it assumed a grey, rock-like hue. And back and forth - repeatedly.

"That's…it…? That's the Master Wand?" Harry breathed.

"We are certainly in the presence of the Master Wand," Snape remarked back. He gingerly felt his cut shoulder and other spell-wounds, then spoke again, his nasal voice now measured once again. "The Dark Lord has forged an alliance with the rogue vampire sect of Lady Vordarna – who you…suspended…out there - and ordered the kidnapping of those students and Muggles, so that he could locate and seize this legendary weapon. He has postponed the development of his invasion plans, by concentrating his attention on acquiring this artefact – believing it will give him ultimate power."

Harry wasn't sure what to say for some moments. Countless questions were bombarding his mind – jostling for position to reach his mouth. He decided to ask the most pressing one first. "Won't _they_ be able to get in here – like we did?"

Snape gave a satisfied smile. "No, Potter. As you might have observed, the barrier has been triggered by our passing through the purple fire. The magical flames are impervious to wand-magic. Anyone attempting to breach the _crimson_ lightning from outside will be…"

He was interrupted by a scream. Harry had just caught a glimpse of the curly-haired Death Eater attempting to run through the cherry-red sparks. He was halted in his tracks by the electrical-like barrier - which almost instantly turned his body into a burnt cinder.

"Ah…" Snape calmly nodded. "That would be Cowden. He _was_ one of the Death Eater spies in the Ministry. An aide of that obnoxious Umbridge woman…"

"So we're trapped! We'll die as soon as…"

"Silence, Potter! I have a lot to say to you – and you will do well to listen carefully, if you wish to see your friends, or even the sunlight, again! Cowden has just demonstrated what will happen to anyone trying to get _into_ this last room. Getting _out_ of here carries a different risk – the magical barrier will kill the first person to touch the magical sparks from within. Then the barrier will disperse. That is why I forced you to enter this final chamber at the _same time_ as me! If we had done so separately, the first of us would have activated the crimson sparks – the person following would be dead, like Cowden."

Harry's mind reeled at what he was being told. "You… You are prepared to sacrifice your _life_ for me? But…how do you know about this barrier, anyway?"

A gloating expression spread itself across the face of Severus Snape. "I know – just as I know _all_ of the secrets of the Caves of the Dead. Because my mother was a descendant of the Nameless Ones – the order of wizards and witches who designed this elaborate network of traps! The written knowledge was passed to me by my mother."

"Then, _you_ have been responsible for the help we've been secretly receiving – not Nott! _You_ imperiused Ernie to use the password to that secret door on the staircase. You…, you must have even done it in front of me and Ernie – in that small cave where we had our hands magically bound. Only we didn't realise what you were doing…!"

"With Nott around, I could not be open with you," Snape confirmed.

"Then you must be the…, the…Re-"

"The Redeemer. Correct, Potter. I see that Professor Dumbledore's faith and investment in you hasn't been entirely misguided." Snape's voice developed its familiar, sneering tone.

"But you knocked Luna off from that ledge in the enormous cavern – the one with the gargoyles…!" Harry's temper flared. "You could've killed her…"

"Not so! One – I cast a minor Impediamenta spell on her, to slow her descent. Two – I knew you were on the cavern floor, most likely with Macmillan. And I was trusting that you had picked up the wand that was on the Death Eater who I made sure got caught by the crossbow trap on the route you would take, to rescue the prisoners. Riddle counts on you to play the hero, Potter. You made that mistake when you and your friends travelled to the Department of Mysteries two years ago, to save your godfather. And I knew you and Macmillan would want to try to rescue your 'Dumbledore's Army' friends." Snape's lips twitched into a brief, tight-lipped smile. "So, you see, I was trusting on you to assist Miss Lovegood – who, of course, I made sure had her wand, before I…allowed her…to escape the clutches of the Death Eaters and vampires!"

"Y-you _knew_ I was on the cavern floor…, in a position to-to…save Luna?" Harry stuttered.

The dark-robbed Professor nodded, and abruptly seized Harry's wrist. Unbuttoning the shirt cuff, Snape exposed the glowing mark on Harry's forearm that he had brandied the young wizard with earlier. He then rolled up the left sleeve of his tunic to reveal an identically-sized dot on his own wrist. Both were now glowing red.

Harry gasped.

"I used this to mark you – to forge a magical _tracing_ link between your body and my mark, so that I would know _exactly_ where you were in the caves, after I left you and Macmillan guarded by the Juggernaut. I thought it wouldn't be so hard for you two to put your minds together and get the golem to absorb the magic of the shackles around your wrists.

"And so my improvised plan began to play out as I hoped it would," Snape continued his explanation of events. "As I led my party up the stone staircase to the Domed cavern, I sensed – via the colour of my mark - that you were following. Most likely with Macmillan – he is a true Hufflepuff, after all, and he would not desert his friends. So, as a gift for you, I made sure that Jugson fell into a trap – and I hid his wand underneath him, so you would find it, and have something to arm yourselves with. Do you trust me _now_ – Potter?"

Harry was speechless. A part of him didn't want to believe that Snape was telling the truth – that somehow the hated Death Eater and murderer of Professor Dumbledore was setting him up, and would betray him to Voldemort. But the evidence he had seen, and was now hearing, was impossible for Harry to deny…

Snape winced as he shifted his back against the wall behind him. "By the way, I was at the far end of the upper corridor, when I observed that Miss Lovegood managed to carry out the imperiused suggestion I planted in her head some time earlier. By activating the sliding stone barrier, that is. To be safe, I had also imperiused Miss Abbott to do the same trick. But Lovegood got to the right spot, first. It cut off the Death Eaters and vampires from pursuing you – which was my aim."

"And what happened to 'your party' then?" Harry snapped, still struggling to come to terms with the fact that Professor Snape had been the one pulling Ernie's and Luna's strings.

"After making sure that all the prisoners had fled, and that Miss Lovegood had played her imperiused part in sealing off the tunnel, I turned my attentions to the Death Eaters. The vampire, Mr Krave, had his hands full in dealing with the gargoyles. Goyle Senior surprised me by shooting down one of the creatures – but another grabbed hold of him from behind whilst I took cover, then dropped him from the ceiling of the Dome cavern into the stream below.

"So far, so good, it seemed," Snape gave a mirthless laugh. "In the chaos, I decided to make my departure. Casting a special Impedimenta spell to slow my own fall, I leapt from the ledge of the Dome cavern. Unfortunately, there was one Death Eater left – Nott Senior. He was, I believe, already suspicious as to why I was so reluctant to risk the lives of our prisoners during my command of the expedition party – yet eager to risk the lives of my 'compatriots', like Jugson and Worboyes."

"Yeah – Ernie and I heard Worboyes' dying scream," Harry admitted. "So… Nott Senior gave chase after you, did he?"

"Correct, Potter. He must have copied my spell, because he caught up with me at the stones across the stream. I confess that he managed to catch me off guard with a stunning spell, and forced me take him onwards to find the Master Wand. We entered, and survived, the Tunnel of Oppression together – though the experience sickened us both. Then after I gave the password that allowed us to enter the chasm cave on the other side of this barrier, he realised what I was carrying, and – thanks to his eavesdropping of his master earlier – the significance of the diadem. We fought again - and Nott was considering killing me, when you made your appearance, Mr Potter."

Severus Snape paused to rest. He lifted his hooded black eyes and stared at Harry again.

"By the way – what made you foolishly think Nott Senior was the Redeemer?"

"Er… He…he and his son had falling out, I was told. I…, I thought Mr Nott was wavering in his support for Voldemort," Harry stammered.

"Ah, yes. Young Theodore has finally spoken to me, as his Head of House, not only about his father's secret as a child-molester, but also about his concerns about his father's loyalties. However, you will find that young Theodore detests the idea of following in the footsteps of his father, or Draco Malfoy's. He has however, I believe, been cautiously 'sounding out' where the loyalties of the senior Slytherin pupils lie. It may interest you to know, Potter, that not all of them support the Death Eater cause.

"Nott Senior, however, was desperate to prove his worth to the Dark Lord. Unfortunately, in his last skirmish with me, Nott managed to destroy the black orb that prevented apparition to and from the first half of the chasm cave – the side furthest away from where we are now! And when Nott pressed his Dark Mark, Riddle could sense exactly where he had to apparate to – in order to reach Nott." Snape's thin lips tightened in anger. "I had hoped…that if _he_ had made it this far to the Final Chamber, the Dark Lord would have had to face his personal demons in the Tunnel of Oppression."

_I wish he had, too, _Harry thought bitterly.

"So… It's possible for any of us to apparate out of that cavern, out there. On the other side of the chasm from us, that is – and not the side nearest to here?" Harry put to his ex-Potions teacher.

"Exactly… Are you capable and confident enough at apparition, Potter?"

"I've…, I've not had much practice. What about anyone apparating into that cavern…?"

"Potter… You _cannot_ apparate to a place, if you have no idea where it is!" Snape rolled his eyes in disdain. "The Dark Lord and Lestrange would have apparated themselves – and brought along the others with them, only by homing in on Nott's signal, via his pressed Dark Mark!

Silence fell between them. Then Harry remembered his wand and pointed it angrily at Snape.

"Why…? Why did you kill Dumbledore? Why have you betrayed both him _and_ Voldemort?"

"I never did betray Professor Dumbledore, Potter…" The ex-Potions Master shifted his back against the wall behind him once more, still feeling some pain from his injuries, Harry suspected.

"You shot him down! I saw it with my own eyes. I was on the Astronomy Tower, hidden from sight…," Harry shouted, feeling his ire rise once more towards the greasy-haired man before him. "I saw the look of disgust on your face for him…"

"Professor Dumbledore was already dying! I merely carried out his orders, when the time was right!" came the angry retort. "I did not hate the headmaster – I hated what I had to do! What I was _obliged_ to do before the invading Death Eaters, that night!"

_Dying…? _Harry sucked in his breath. He racked his memory. Snape would not have known Dumbledore had drank the liquid in that cave, earlier that evening. So that meant…

"The damage to his right hand? He never told me what…," Harry voiced aloud.

"That was caused by the destruction of the Gaunt Ring – the Horcrux Professor Dumbledore located. The backlash was a curse, Potter. The headmaster was slowly falling prey to the effects – he would not have lasted that summer." Snape gave a mirthless bark of a laugh. "Were you ever taught during your Muggle education about the assignation of the Roman Emperor, Julius Caesar - Potter?"

"Not much. I remember Brutus joined in with the nobles who stabbed Caesar. Like you!"

"There is a theory…that Brutus had nothing to do with the assassination attempt – despite being with Caesar when the Emperor died. He only took up a blade against Caesar, so that he would not be killed himself next by the assassins…" Snape curled his lips.

Harry's hand began to lower his wand, as he contemplated the parallel between the deaths of Caesar and Professor Dumbledore. Where Snape was coming from.

"But you…, you said you were obeying Dumbledore's orders to kill him! I…"

"After Fudge's resignation from the Ministry of Magic, I carried out the next part of the headmaster's plan by presenting my services to the Death Eaters – gaining the Dark Lord's trust in the process. During your sixth year, Potter, Professor Dumbledore had worked out that Draco Malfoy was trying to assassinate him, on the Dark Lord's orders. I myself tried to find out what exactly the Malfoy brat was up to at Hogwarts – without success. In the meantime, I was sworn to protect Draco by his mother, with an Unbreakable Vow. The advantage of that manoeuvre was to quell the suspicions of Bellatrix Lestrange."

"The Unbreakable Vow… I heard you and Malfoy talking, the night of Slughorn's Christmas party," Harry muttered.

"Did you now? Well, Master Malfoy would not tell me his secret agenda. Consequently, neither I nor the headmaster were prepared for the Death Eater squad penetrating Hogwarts from within. And so, Albus died by my hand – as he requested of me, with his dying words. With the Death Eaters satisfied as to my loyalty, I fled with them and Draco." Snape paused, and then continued. "Later on, on that accursed night, I found out the other part of the mission that the Dark Lord had given the Malfoy boy."

"What!.? What…other mission?" Harry stirred.

"To retrieve what Barty Crouch Junior had earlier failed to find. Draco Malfoy successfully located one of Riddle's Horcruxes – the Lost Diadem of Ravenclaw! It had been in the Lost and Found room at the school. With Malfoy Manor well defended from both Ministry Aurors and the Order of the Phoenix, the Dark Lord decided to store it in the cellars there. And, with me as a guest of the Malfoys, I begin to think of ways to disrupt Riddle's work from within his ranks. He was building additions to his army, Potter. Fenrir's werewolf acquaintances, the giants and trolls, the Dementors from Azkaban Prison, and – last August – he formed an alliance with a rebel coven of vampires. The leader being Lady Vordarna – the African she-devil you have met out there."

"And that meant…?" Harry blurted.

"The situation was becoming too serious – too deadly! I had to think of a way to undermine Riddle's invasion plans. I knew – thanks to Professor Dumbledore – that you would be tracking down and seeking to destroy the Horcruxes. I had to give you more time!"

There was something in Snape's face that Harry had never seen before. He realised, with surprise, that it was the need to be understood, to be judged correctly – before it was too late.

"Riddle formed an alliance with Lady Vordarna's vampire coven – in order to learn what they knew about the Master Wand, the prize within the Caves of the Dead - as the Lady was also seeking it. I had already told the Dark Lord of 'rumour's that I had heard concerning the caves, and – as I knew would happen – his greed for power led to him taking the bait, and putting his invasion plans on hold! In the meantime, I arranged the process that led to the Dark Lord and the vampiric Lady to form a joint expedition party to these caves – after they personally sealed a pledge of non-violence towards each other with their own Unbreakable Vow. Now – and I advise you to listen well to this, Potter – should Riddle's current body die, then so too will the Lady. However, if she perishes first, then the Dark Lord will die – only to be reborn, via one of his loathsome Horcruxes."

"So you…" Harry rubbed his forehead with his free hand, trying to take all of it in. "Let's get this straight. You knew _everything_ about these caves – the layout, the traps, the circumstances under which…you can apparate in the caves or not? And you have used that knowledge to get the Death Eaters and the vampires killed…?"

"Exactly. And I have tried to protect the hostages as best I could – once I had manoeuvred myself in being appointed as the leader of the expedition." Snape's smile of satisfaction faded. "Unfortunately, two of the Muggles perished, during our time in these caves – one before I took charge of the group. The other you know about."

Harry was silent for some moments. Then more questions arose in his mind.

"That spell-guarded door at the top of the Domed cavern, where you got…got Worboyes to kill himself. Doesn't it…?"

"It leads nowhere, Potter. It is a false door. I was rather hoping Riddle himself would try to open it, and have his current body destroyed – having seen for myself just how deadly it was!"

"And… After imperiusing Dr Darnell into leading Voldemort and Vordarna into a wild goose chase… You had the real diadem Horcrux. Why did you take it to the cave with the chasm?" Harry pressed Snape.

"I was hoping to use Fiendfyre to destroy the Horcrux. In a place far away from the escaped prisoners – beyond the dark tunnel…"

Harry slowly nodded. "Hermione told me about Fiendfyre – how dangerous and uncontrollable it is!"

"Indeed. Once started, it is very difficult to extinguish. However, it is one of the few magicks that would be able to destroy a Horcrux. And I would have used it, at the risk of my own life – if it had not been for Nott Senior overcoming me."

"And the golem – the Juggernaut – _could_ destroy the Horcrux, because…" Harry slapped himself on the forehead, in realisation. "…it absorbed any magic cast upon it! It had enough magical energy stored within, to smash the diadem… But why couldn't you have just got rid of Nott, and told the golem to destroy the Horcrux when you faced me and Ernie…"

"Because, Potter, the Juggernaut had _two_ primary objectives. Seizing and holding you, for the arrival of the Dark Lord, was one. Its _most_ important objective was to protect any Horcruxes it came into contact with, at any cost! I had to trick the Juggernaut into destroying the diadem. It was, I admit, an improvised plan on my part – since Nott took me captive."

"And the gargoyles…" Harry was trying to find reasons to attack Snape with, still hating him for the years of snide remarks, insults, and deducting house points that the Potions Master had subjected Harry to at Hogwarts. "You endangered the prisoners' lives, as well as the Death Eaters and the vampires – when those gargoyles attacked!"

"On the contrary, Potter." Snape gave another self-satisfied smile. "The gargoyles are magical sentinels of these caves, conditioned to attack – and eat - only those who carry the trace of dark intent on them, not those whose hearts and minds are decent. I actually put _myself_ at their mercy, because of the shadow that hangs over my past. Fortunately, I was able to evade their claws."

"_Thankfully, the gargoyles ignored us prisoners, altogether!" _Neville had said, back in the upper level cave, Harry recalled.

Harry shook his head in disbelief. He was now beginning to see what aims Snape had gone to, in his mission to fool Voldemort and the Death Eaters. But…

"Why…? Why did you turn against Voldemort? You gave away the prophecy to him – and that led to him tracking me down when I was just a baby! That _monster_ killed my parents, because of you and Wormtail!"

Severus Snape lowered his head, his gaze evading Harry's glare. "I know… And I am sorry…"

"And ever since I came to Hogwarts, you…" Harry froze, his eyes becoming as wide as Luna's usual permanently-surprised look. "_What_ did you just say…?" he whispered.

"I said…I AM…SORRY!" Snape snaped his face up, unflinchingly returning eye-contact with Harry. "Sorry for my part in bringing about the deaths of James and Lily Potter!"

"But you _hated_ them. You hated them – and ever since I started attending your Potion classes, you have been determined to hate me, too!" Harry jumped to his feet, and angrily jabbed the tip of his wand against Snape's throat. "Why! What did _I_ ever do to you to deserve your spite in the first place!.?"

"Your father was a pompous bully and selfish prankster…" Snape's nostrils flared. "…and I loathed him for all he did to me – but I still regr…"

"You wanted him dead – didn't you? To please your tin-pot 'Lord'! You were prepared to let him kill me and my parents! You hated my dad. And my mother!"

"No! I _loved_ your mother, Harry!"

Harry suddenly went numb. He wasn't sure what had shocked him more. The fact that Professor Snape had just addressed him by his first name alone – possibly for the first time. Or the fact that he had said that…

"You… You _LOVED_…my mum?" whispered Harry.

"Yes! I loved Lily Evans. My heart still grieves for her. And I hate you, Harry Potter – because you are the constant reminder that I failed! But _not_ because you survived Riddle's attempt on your life. I failed to woo Lily Evans. She fell to the charms of James Potter – and my heart was broken. I became a bitter, disillusioned young man – a perfect recruit for the charismatic Dark Lord and his plans to change the establishment of witches and wizards in this nation. You…," and here Professor Snape took a deep breath to steady himself. "You are the son I was denied!"

Silence fell. Harry was ominously still – his face a battleground of emotions, fighting for supremacy. Then he yelled out.

"You…_scumbag!_" Harry clenched his free hand into a fist, and swung it into the older wizard's cheek – provoking a startled cry from Snape. "You were so determined to see my dad in me! You _wanted _me to be a younger James Potter, so that you could settle your score with him – over and over again!"

"_Yes!_ All right! I admit it. But when I learnt what Riddle had done, I tracked down Professor Dumbledore and put myself at his mercy…! Stop! _Don't _punch me again…!"

Harry was again to deliver the second blow – then halted. Snape's eyes were now moist. On the verge of tears.

"From that day on…" Snape voice fell to a near whisper. "…my loyalty has been to Professor Dumbledore. My aim was to find ways of undermining Tom Riddle Junior – once he came out of hiding – so that he would pay, at _my_ hands, for killing your parents. And I vowed to protect you… My way of honouring Lily! Despite her marrying James Potter, I still love her. I…I still miss her."

Severus Snape was openly, and silently, crying now. The fight went out of Harry as he stared wordlessly at the former teacher – the man who, if circumstances had been different in the past, could have been his father.

"And if I…, if I had been sorted into Slytherin…- like the Sorting Hat had wanted to…," he finally mumbled. "…would you have treated me any differently?"

"I think…I would have taken that as a sign that you were different to your parents." Snape wiped his eyes with his bare hands. "So your answer is 'yes', Harry. I would have guarded you from the more narrow-minded Slytherins, like the Malfoy boy. Professor Dumbledore would not have been pleased if you had become a Slytherin – but maybe you could have helped change the attitudes of the Death Eater children from within my house. With my occasional help."

He suddenly gave a hollow laugh. "And I did try to help you during your time at Hogwarts – even with you in hot-headed Gryffindor! Remember your first Quidditch match, when your broom was jinxed, and I incanted the counter-curse to stabilise you? I later heard that the Granger girl and Mr Weasley thought _I_ was trying to kill you! I never received an apology from you three, after it became known that…"

"No – we didn't…" Harry winced. "You never made it easy for us to approach you!" he retorted, in his and Ron and Hermione's defence.

"And I protected you from Professor Lupin on that full moon night, when Sirius Black revealed himself to you." Snape narrowed his black eyes accusingly at Harry. "And I _did_ pass on the message to the Order of the Phoenix about your witterings of Black being held at the Department of Mysteries. Not that I could _show_ that I understood your message in front of that obnoxious Umbridge…"

"Alright! I apologise!" Harry raised his voice. "I wish _we_ could go back! I wish we had a better relationship. But it was _you_ who was so set on treating me as another James Potter. So…, if you wish to apologise to _me_, you better do it now!"

"Yes… You are right." Snape's leer vanished. He straightened himself up. "But first, _we_ have to focus on what is most important! You need to survive the Dark Lord out there, and destroy the remainder of his Horcruxes! Finish him for me, Harry. For your parents, for Professor Dumbledore, for Cedric Diggory, for all of those who have perished or suffered from Riddle's lust for power. I myself will soon be dead – and maybe… Maybe I will be with James and Lily – even Sirius – again. I hope that they can understand…, and forgive me for my past deeds. For hating you. I hope…that I have _redeemed_ myself enough, in their eyes."

Snape's face turned pensive. Grim. Harry saw regret in his dark gaze as he looked inwards for a long moment. Then he turned to the wand on the crystal dais besides them. It was painted black.

"You have not ventured to touch the Master Wand, I see, Potter."

"I haven't really been thinking about it! I suppose there's another trap guarding it, anyway…"

"Very wise of you. What you see here is actually another decoy! If you touch it, it will heat up and explode. The Nameless Ones wanted anyone greedy enough to seek out the legend of the wand of power, to suffer and fail!" Snape slowly stood up. Wincing from his more serious wounds, he limped over to the side wall of the small chamber. Reaching into an alcove, he picked up a loose stone – then waved his wand at it. Within seconds, before Harry's startled gaze, the stone transformed into another black wand – which Snape then presented to him.

"_This_ is the Master Wand, Harry. Use it well against Riddle and our other enemies outside. As soon as you reach the far side of the chasm bridge – away from the anti-apparation ward crystal – teleport out of this accursed place and find the Order of the Phoenix. They hopefully have already freed all the remaining prisoners at that Welsh safe house – so let them clean up the mess I have started here!"

Harry gingerly got up and took the Master Wand from Professor Snape. He felt an odd tingle run throughout his being. He tested its weight, slowly swishing it in the air.

"And this…, this would haven given Voldemort the…, the _supreme_ power to conquer the wizards and witches of this country?" he asked.

Snape gave another smug smile. "No. I _wanted_ Riddle to think – as did Lady Vordarna – that this wand was their Holy Grail! But the Master Wand will not cast forth any magic…"

"_What!_ Then what good is…?"

"…except the power of illusion, Harry. Stop interrupting me! As its new bearer, you only have to think of the type of illusion you wish to convey, as you direct the wand at its target. I suggest that you concentrate on the worst nightmares of Riddle and his lackeys. The incantation to use is 'Ne deterius tibi' – that is, 'your worst fear'. And now, it is time… It is time to overcome my own fears. Like I did in that wretched Tunnel of Oppression…" Snape visibly stiffened.

"You saw my mother killed, didn't you?" ventured Harry. "The magic of that dark tunnel showed you that vision!"

Snape gave a curt nod. "I saw your parents die, in the way they did. Then I was faced by them accusing me, blaming me for my betrayal. Next, I was taunted with the image of you laying dead, Riddle standing over your corpse, laughing. Hogwarts in flames and ruins. Countless students dead. Wizarding establishments of the world turned into Fascist governments, with Riddle as the secret, undying ruler of the world. Young witches and wizards being tutored to become branded Death Eaters! Finally, Riddle mocking me for my failure – before torturing me to death." Snape tightened his fist and shook with rage. "I was just strong enough to pull through my personal hell, Harry. Do not let it become the reality of this world. And…I,…I am sorry I could not treat you as Lily's son – instead of James's."

Harry was silent for a long moment. He swallowed, feeling the tightness in his throat. He gave a quick nod. "Apology accepted," he managed to croak.

Snape sighed with relief. "Thank you, Harry. Now prepare yourself for another fight. Are you ready?"

Silence fell between them. They both looked out across the crackling magical ward, and saw a glimpse of the bald-headed, cloaked figure of Voldemort casting spell after spell at the barrier, without succeeding in disrupting it in any way. The would-be conqueror of the wizarding realm of the British Isles roared out his frustration and seething anger. Besides the Dark Lord, Bellatrix Lestrange and the now-freed Lady Vordarna looked worried – afraid, no doubt, that Voldemort might redirect his terrible fury at the nearest available targets. Them.

"But…" Harry rubbed his head. His scar was burning with pain, thanks to Voldemort's latest tantrum. "…the ward. You're planning to cross it, aren't you? It'll kill you…!"

"Correct. And once the first person from within this chamber breaches the ward, it will disperse – leaving you free to face our joint enemies with the Master Wand…"

"NO! I am sick of it!" Harry exclaimed. "Sick of people dying, because of me! First, my parents. Then Cedric Diggory. Then Sirius – because of my walking into a trap…!"

"I understand, Harry," Snape lowered his head. "But I am expendable. _You_ are not."

"To hell with the prophecy…!"

"As long as Riddle is obsessed with both power and by you, Harry, _he_ will never have all his wits about him! You are our best chance to destroy Riddle – for all of us!" Snape's angry expression then softened into might have been an almost-fatherly look. "And you deserve to live a life of your own, after this war. Free of Riddle. And free of people like me."

There was a rumble which distracted them. Harry and Snape glanced across the ward again. Voldemort had just fired a stream of magic at the rock around the barrier, hoping to break through that way. Instead, loose rocks were now falling down, missing the darting, panic-stricken figures of the Death Eaters and vampires.

"Let's get this over with, then!" Harry tried to sound more defiant and determined than he felt. Instead, he was trembling inside. Snape was about to actually die for him – years ago, that fact would've cheered him up no end. Now… Now, he felt wretched. Too compliant in allowing another man to die – even if it was the man who had killed Professor Dumbledore…

Amazingly, Snape seemed to read his mind. He reached out and briefly laid his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Do not blame yourself…, Potter. It is my choice to die." He turned to face the crackling energy field of the ward. "Run as fast as you can, Harry – and apparate away when you reach the other side of the chasm. Use the Master Wand to the best of your ability!"

"Okay," Harry meekly replied.

Snape returned his gaze to the figures on the other side of the barrier, and waited for the opportune moment. Placing his wand inside his long dark robes, Professor Snape tensed himself for his move. He stood at the far end of the little chamber, and faced the crimson sparks baring their only exit.

Harry felt his heart pounding. He took a deep breath, to try to calm down a little, to focus.

He did not feel he was succeeding.

_I wish Luna was here._ The thought came to him, as if from the blue. _More than anyone else, she seems to have the knack of calming me down._

_I hope she got out of these caves. And Neville. And all of the others…_

Harry's thoughts turned to Ron and Hermione. To Ginny. Was he ever going to see them again? Hold them, and tell them how much they made to him…?

"_Now!"_ Snape's nasal voice reached Harry's ears, startling him.

With his robes flying behind him, Snape dashed for the ward and ran straight into the energy field…


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six:**

**To The Death**

Immediately, there was a bright flash, a loud cry from the ex-Potions master - and then suddenly the barrier had vanished. Snape, however, was flung forward through the air – as if he'd been caught in the blast of a Muggle grenade. He landed and rolled over, coming to a halt close to the bridge of rock above the cavern's chasm – startling the Death Eaters and the vampires.

Harry sucked in his breath, as he looked upon the scene. Snape did not move. His body was blackened from the magic of the broken ward. Wisps of smoke drifted upwards from him.

_RUN!_

Harry forced his eyes away from the horrific remains of the man who had been the Half-Blood Prince – and he bolted out of the Final Chamber, sprinting directly for the rock bridge…

Within seconds, Harry was blasted off his feet by a Reducto spell directed at the ground before him. As he winced and rubbed where he had struck his head with his rough landing, he saw Voldemort, Bellatrix Lestrange, Draco Malfoy, and Lady Vordarna close in on him from all sides. The wands of the magic-users were pointed at him. Vordarna bared her fangs, and approached with a sharp dagger in her hand.

"It's over, Potter!" Draco Malfoy sneered at him. "We're going to win this war - despite Snape's treachery!"

"Harry…Potter." The thin, high voice of Lord Voldemort sounded strained – but he was smiling. "I told you you would lose everything…"

"You haven't got long to live, Snakeface!" Harry yelled furiously.

It was a taunt more than anything. Something to make Voldemort flinch. It did. And in that moment, Harry took advantage of his enemy's hesitation, and snatched up the Master Wand from where it had fallen, just before him. He aimed it at his nemesis.

_Let Tom Riddle Junior face his worst fears!_

"_Ne deterius tibi!"_

A pulse of light zipped out from the dark wand and struck Voldemort, before he could block it. Immediately, he screamed and dropped his own wand. Both of his pale hands shot up to clutch the sides of his temples.

"No! HOW…? How could you know about THEM! Nagini! The trophy! My diary… _Aaaggghhh! NOOOOOO!"_

In a flash, Harry realised what Voldemort was talking about. His Horcruxes. It came as no surprise to him as to what Tom Riddle Junior's greatest fear was. The destruction of his Horcruxes – and, ultimately, his own death.

But Harry had no time to think further about his new discovery: 'the trophy'. Instead, as Bellatrix screamed, "My Lord…!" he rolled over and re-directed the Master Wand at her.

"_Ne deterius tibi!"_

Lestrange gave another piercing, anguished cry, as the lightning-quick pulse of magic struck her. Her wand fell from her limp hand, as Bellatrix collapsed upon the ground, chest-first. She weakly lifted her head, to stare at the convulsing figure of her master, her idol.

"NO…! He can't…be dead. HE CAN'T BE…!"

_That's one for Sirius – you murderous filth!_

Harry gave a hard, satisfied smirk – then kicked Bellatrix in the shoulder, as she fumbled for her dropped wand. Ignoring her cry, Harry scrambled up and spun round to face Draco Malfoy, who was standing frozen on the spot, dumbfounded by seeing the Dark Lord felled by Harry's magic. Then Draco snapped back to, seeing his present danger.

"_Stu..-Stupef-!"_

"_Reducto!" _Harry snapped, aiming with his own wand in his other hand.

Draco cried out, as he was blasted backwards off his feet by Harry's spell. Draco Malfoy's wand was separated from its owner and went flying in a different direction. The blond-haired school bully, meanwhile, was sent flying into the boulder behind him. Hitting his head, he collapsed upon the cavern floor.

With no time to use, Harry dodged aside from the swished dagger aimed at him – then he spun round to face his fourth opponent, the regally-dressed Lady Vordarna. Dropping her dagger, she leapt forward, and managed to seize Harry's left forearm with her outstretched hand, applying pressure to it in a bone-like vice. Her exposed fangs drooled, and she tried to push past Harry's resistance to her, in order to sink those sharp ivory points into his neck…

"No!" Harry panicked and – dropping the Master Wand - shot up his right hand, slamming the heel of his palm against Vordarna's chin, halting her advance. But the Lady was physically stronger than him. Bit by bit, as the two of them jostled with each other, the vampiress was gradually overcoming Harry.

"Your magical blood will be…most delightful, Harry Potter!" Vordarna leered at him.

"Thirsty… Need your blood…!" came another feminine voice. This one sounded weaker. Desperate.

There was a piercing cry – then a curse (of the coarse verbal kind). Both Lady Vordarna and Harry froze, and glanced aside. The distraction was in the form of the latest speaker, Doctor Darnell – who had been earlier struck down by Snape's Sectumsempra spell. Now, the strawberry-blond vampiress was viciously attacking Bellatrix Lestrange with her own arms, in her own bid to draw blood from her victim's neck. In the seconds that followed, Bellatrix lashed out like a maniac, and she managed to fling the doctor off from her. Next, the Goth-like witch grabbed her nearby wand from the ground and almost jabbed it in the face of Darnell, as the thirst-maddened vampiress scrambled back upon her feet, unable to stop herself.

"Stop! STOP IT!" Lady Vordarna screeched. "You two – back off…!"

"_Incendrio!"_ Bellatrix spat.

The jet of fire from her wand shot straight into Darnell's eyes. The vampiress gave a piercing scream, and staggered away, flames already blackening her flesh. As Harry and Vordarna stared in shock, Doctor Darnell flapped her hands against her melting face, trying to extinguish the fire blinding her. She continued to scream, moving jerkily around the cavern like an out-of-control clockwork toy that had been wound up and set loose.

"Abnoba! The chasm…!" In her panic, Juno Vordarna flung Harry aside and tried to reach her associate before…

"_Wha…? Ur-aaaggghhh…!.!"_ Darnell gave a louder shriek as she lost her balance on the lip of the pit, and toppled into thin air. Her echoing scream nearly deafened the others present.

There was a brief moment when both Vordarna and Bellatrix were too shocked to move. Then the Negroid vampiress hissed with malice, and she slowly turned her face towards Bellatrix Lestrange. She bore a murderous expression that Harry felt would make even Voldemort quail.

"You…_killed_…_my_ Abnoba!"

Lady Vordarna screamed out her rage – then launched herself at the startled Death Eater. Before Voldemort's favourite lieutenant could aim her wand in time, the undead coven leader had rugby-tackled her to the ground – and the two of them violently fought for control over Lestrange's wand.

_Vordarna has certainly stopped thinking about me!_

Harry gave a smile of relief. The Death Eater-Rebel Vampire Sect alliance was breaking down right before his very eyes. And now, with the women fighting between themselves, the immediate concern was…

He spun round, and his heart lurched in terror. Voldemort was now trying to stand up, slowly recovering from the effects of Harry's spell cast from the Master Wand.

"_Expelliamus!"_ Harry cried out, using his own wand.

The Dark Lord gave a roar of surprise and fury, as his wand flew from his grasp – to land somewhere in the cavern, behind him. He redirected his red eyes upon the young wizard – then stood up.

"Give me the Master Wand. Now!.!" he bellowed.

"Never!" Harry yelled back, shaking as he scrambled to his feet. The Master Wand was on the ground nearby. He had the chance now to despatch Voldemort with his own magic!

_I could cast the Killing Curse… Then he would pay the price for everything that he's done…_

_What…? No, Harry! It'll be in cold blood… And you'll be no better than him!_

Voldemort saw Harry's hesitation – and he slowly smiled. "How pathetic…of you, Potter," the thin voice gloated. Then he sprinted towards Harry, and leapt for the attack.

Harry gasped. His grip slipped on his own wand and fell upon the floor. For several, chaotic seconds, the two antagonists maniacally fought hand-to-hand for possession of the dropped Master Wand. Their struggle saw them rolling over each other towards the end of the bridge, close to where Snape's burnt body was laying. Finally, Harry cried out, as the bottom of Voldemort's fist slammed into the side of his neck. He fell back down to the rocky surface of the cavern, gasping. When the world stopped spinning around him, Harry looked back up, to see Voldemort nonchantly admiring the feel of the Master Wand as he crouched down to retrieve it - and then he straightened his legs, to stand over his enemy. The Dark Lord glanced briefly at the two ladies, still fighting between themselves – then he re-directed all his malice and attention towards Harry.

"At long last… The Master Wand – the unbeatable wand – is mine! And now, my Marked Equal, you die…" He pointed his new acquisition at the frightened teenager at his feet. _"Avada Kedavra!"_ he spat.

The wand failed to act.

"_WHAT…!.?"_

Harry released the breath that he had been holding, and gave a quick snort of laughter. "You've been fooled, Tom Riddle! You've wasted all this time chasing a red herring! A ghost!"

"You _dare_ to call me THAT name? The name of my worthless father! You will show me due respect to me, Potter…," Voldemort seethed.

"You deserve NO respect! You are a dirty, murderous, nut job! You killed my parents, and you had Cedric Diggory slaughtered! How many more people have died for your selfish benefit – or have you lost count?" Harry raged back at him. "How many more will suffer because of your pure-blood mania and anti-Muggle propaganda being imposed upon the world? Your mother would be _ashamed_ of you…!"

Harry verbally unleashed everything that he could think of. His own wand was lying on the floor, just out of reach – but if Voldemort could remember the Latin incantation that Harry had used to activate the Master Wand, then he would be at his enemy's mercy.

_All I have to do is get to the other side of the chasm bridge! Out of the reach of that black orb – then I can apparate away from here!_

_But what is _he_ going to do, now?_

Voldemort did not attack. Instead, he momentarily lowered the Master Wand and narrowed his red-eyed gaze upon Harry. "What do you know…about my mother, Harry Potter?" he asked, his voice laden with suspicion.

"I know that she hated your Grandfather and Uncle! She would have given you a better childhood, if she had lived…," Harry retorted.

"You lie! My mother's ancestry was a noble one…!"

"Do I? Your grandfather was a bigot. I've seen the evidence – you haven't!"

"_Avada Kedavra!"_ Voldemort screamed, snapping his wand arm straight once more. And again, the Master Wand would not function. It did not even spark.

"_Crucio! Incendrio! EXPULSO!"_

Harry could not stop the grin on his face from widening.

The Dark Lord's expression was livid. The pale face actually flushed pink with blood. He raised the Master Wand over his head, as if about to throw it into the chasm close by – then he relented, and carefully placed it in the inner pocket of his tunic.

Then he suddenly lunged for his marked equal.

Harry gave a strangled cry as the two pale hands seized his throat, and began to throttle him.

"You struck me with an _illusion_, from the Master Wand, Harry Potter! Such a…powerful…illusion, that took me so long to recover from! How? _How_ did you conjure forth that power? You _will_ tell me…!"

"Nev…er…," Harry gasped, trying to force away the hands from around his throat and neck. As his world began to swim and flashing stars shot across his vision, Harry kicked out, making Voldemort wince as he made contact with his shins. But the Dark Lord did not let go.

"Then I will finish you, in a…Muggle…means of killing. Goodbye, Harry Potter! You have failed to overcome me…" The ends of Voldemort's thin lips twitched into a hard smile of satisfaction, and his red eyes narrowed. His grip tightened upon the young wizard before him. Harry gagged. His lungs screamed for release, for air. He saw a shadow rise before him…

That was it, then. His vision was failing.

"Urrgghh!" The Dark Lord's body abruptly shuddered. He dropped his captive, who clutched at his throat and gulped in the first, precious breaths of air.

Staggering somewhat, as he turned around – both Voldemort and the recovering Harry widened their eyes. The shadow that was Severus Snape was standing before them, his skin, hair, and clothes badly burnt. He quickly fell upon one knee again before Voldemort – but not to honour him. Instead, the Half-Blood Prince – the Redeemer – had just plunged a dagger from his robes into his one-time master. The same dagger that now lay squarely between the Dark Lord's shoulder blades. A growing stain of blood was now staining the dark cloak with a wet shade of red.

"Sev…er…us?" Once more, Voldemort stared at him with disbelief.

Professor Snape managed a faint nod. "Blade coated with…magical…poison. That's for Lily… For…James… And…for Harry," he croaked through his blackened lips. There was the ghost of a smile there.

And then, with all the strength he could summon, Snape pushed Voldemort back with both hands.

Tom Riddle Junior – Lord Voldemort – gave a yell, as he tumbled backwards at an angle. The momentum of his fall then saw him disappearing over the side of the bridge – over the lip of the chasm.

Harry gasped.

"_Nn-NOOOOO!" _Voldemort screamed, plunging into the dark depths – with the Master Wand still on his person. His piercing cry filled the cavern with his despair. And shock.

Snape slumped upon the ledge of the bridge, wheezing for breath.

_Bellatrix and Vordarna…_, Harry remembered, thought slowly returning to his numbed senses.

He recovered his breath and forced his pained, weary body to turn round. The dark-skinned Lady Vordarna was now lapping at the blood sprouting from the neck bite she had just made on Bellatrix's slumped, bedraggled body. Voldemort's compatriot was unmoving – her face staring upwards at the vampiress with astonished, unblinking eyes.

_She's… She's dead, too!_ Harry's heart leapt into his mouth in his moment of joy. Then his expression changed, as Vordarna shot her predatory face up towards Harry. Blood dripped from her mouth, staining Bellatrix's black, Goth-like dress.

"_Agghh!"_

The renegade coven leader clutched at her chest, doubling over in pain. Straightening up, she took a couple of steps towards the frightened young wizard. Her wide eyes scanned the cavern. Harry saw terror in those animal-like brown orbs.

"What…have you done with…the Dark Lord!.?" Lady Vordarna screamed at Harry.

"He fell off his perch!" Harry spat with satisfaction. His hand fumbled across the ground close by, and he retrieved his own wand from where it had fallen earlier.

"_Curse you!"_ Vordarna raged. She took another couple of faltering steps forward, and raised a claw-like hand towards Harry. But then, the Dark Lady's form shifted. She wailed as her body began to age, and _melt_. The luxurious black hair turned first grey, then white. Her fangs and other teeth moved out of place as her skin, muscles, and bones – _everything_ – became a liquidified, oily, blood-soaked, misshapen gloop. A few seconds later, her clothed remains flopped onto the rocky floor, close to Harry. In his horror, he scuttled back on his feet and elbows to avoid the vile ooze as it seeped out of the sleeves of the richly-attired dress.

The echo of Lady Vordarna's final cry faded from the cavern walls.

_That was even more disgusting than Quirrell's fate! _Harry told himself.

There was a snort of laughter beside him. Harry took a moment to steady his nerves, then turned round onto his knees to face Professor Snape. The older wizard was still lying chest-down, but he had his blackened face raised towards Harry. He took in the grisly remains of Lady Vordarna.

"The Unbreakable Vow…," Harry blurted. "As you said… She died, since Voldemort perished. But… Is that the last of him? The Horcruxes…!"

"Tell me…which ones have been destroyed…" Snape croaked, in pain.

Harry did so, listing the diary, the ring, the locket, the cup, and – of course – the diadem.

"Just two left, then… Nagini… And one other…"

"The trophy!" Harry gasped, remembering. "Voldemort blurted out 'the trophy' earlier.

"Harry…, listen carefully. I won't last much longer. My will power is slipping…"

"Then I'd better apparate you with me…"

"The apparation will…kill me!" The Half-Blood Prince coughed, and spat out blood. "Whilst at Malfoy Manor, I discovered Riddle created another Horcrux for himself, some months ago. And one for Bellatrix…"

"What!"

"He decided to make the vile woman his consort. And she agreed to having a Horcrux made for half of her soul. To provide the dark magic necessary…, she killed her own husband! Both Horcruxes are trophies. Too well protected for me to take them… Draco's friends stole them from Hogwarts, at Easter time," Snape wheezed. "The process of having her soul ripped away nearly killed Lestrange… She won't do it again. And Riddle nearly died from the experience too… Their souls will now be awakening in the trophies – most recent Horcrux in Riddle's case… But Malfoy Manor, where they are, is too well warded. And there are other…other safe houses Riddle will use…"

The ex-Potions Master convulsed and slumped to the ground. His hand weakly grasped Harry's.

"Tell the Order…, the teachers…, and your friends… Tell them the truth about me. That I did my best…to repent for betraying your parents, Harry."

"I… I will." Harry realised that his eyes were blinking with tears.

Snape nodded, and gave one last smile. "Fifty points…to Gryffindor."

His grip weakened and the charred hand dropped onto the rocky surface of the bridge. There was a sigh, and Severus Snape died with a smile etched on his blackened lips.

For a long moment, Harry did not move – other than to hold his head in his hands as he silently wept. He felt a tingling on his forearm, where Snape had cast the tracing mark on him. Examining the flesh, Harry saw the mark glow, then disappear.

He sniffed, and nodded – understanding. _The magical connection is broken, now that Snape's dead…_

_Ron's wand… _Harry patted Snape's pockets and retrieved the wand that Ron had loaned to Ernie, and which Snape had confiscated.

Then he remembered Bellatrix Lestrange. Slowly getting up, he walked over to her body.

_I can't stop her soul from resurrection via her Horcrux…, but I can make sure she doesn't rise again…as a vampire!_

He searched his memory for an appropriate spell. He had been taught this one by Mad Eye Moody, some weeks ago, during a private evening session.

_Ah, yes…_

"_Petrolio!" _A gush of oil shot out from Harry's wand, to drench the corpse of Bellatrix Lestrange.

"_Finite. Incendrio!"_

The oil-conjuring charm was cut off, and replaced by a fireball which was spat out of the wand, to ignite Bellatrix's body. It caught fire, and started to blacken and burn.

_Time to get out of here!_

His eyes still stinging with tears, Harry wearily hobbled back to Snape's body. He carefully lifted the head and wrapped his arm around the neck, before concentrating…

The flames continued to lick greedily at Bellatrix's remains, and began to fill the cavern with smoke – just as the forms of the teenage, bespectacled wizard and the Half-Blood Prince blurred and abruptly vanished from the scene.

"Uhh…."

Forgotten by both Harry and Snape, Draco Malfoy stared with horror at the body of his aunt as he regained his dazed senses after his close encounter with the cave boulder. Rubbing his head, he used his Death Eater cloak to shield his nose and mouth from the fumes as he staggered onwards - searching for his Lord's wand…

Finding it lying near the destroyed black orb, Draco fought back his rising panic. He had to concentrate, if he was to apparate!

_HE can't be gone! Aunt Bella told me the Dark Lord had a way of coming back from the dead! And…, HE will want his wand…_

And after his embarrassment at how the vampiress Abnoba Darnell had overpowered him, Draco was determined not to let his master down, ever again. After all, he had joined the Master's hunting party, at His request… To prove himself worthy.

His body finally twisted and spun off into the ether – just as the smoke reached across the chasm…


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven:**

**The Oncoming Storm**

Within a closed-off cubicle, in the Emergency Admissions ward of St Mungo's Hospital, Neville Longbottom hugged his close friend Charlotte Greenway to him as she sobbed. Both they and the other prisoners had managed to escape the Caves of the Dead, by either apparating or using the Persian carpet Portkey to return to the Death Eater safe house located in Wales.

But not all of the escapees had got out alive.

Ron Weasley stood close to the curtain, his head bowed. His right arm was in a shoulder sling, and he bore some bruising on his forehead – but he wasn't going to complain.

_At least I'm on the mend. Some will take a little longer. And as for a few others…_ Ron sniffed back the onset of tears. He'd hardly known the Hufflepuff on the bed before them – only recognised the face in passing, during school terms. But it was a tragic death, nevertheless. Taken way before her time.

Ginny Weasley stood halfway between her brother and Neville and Charlotte – all four of them staring mutely at the pale, lifeless face of Laura Madden lying on the hospital bed. The fourth year Hufflepuff girl still had her eyes open – now seeing nothing.

"Charlotte… I'm sorry for your loss," Ginny muttered. "How…?"

"Voldie and some of his cronies – including Bellatrix Lestrange – appeared. Just as our party reached the entrance cave," Neville started to explain. "There was a battle between our wands. We all tried to get out – those who couldn't apparate fled for the Portkey outside, or were apparated away by those who could, as we were hoping to do. Laura was one of those, like me, who fought to…, to provide cover for the others. But…" Neville gulped, feeling the lump in his throat. "But she was hit by a Cutting spell – just not directly. I was about the last to leave… Just managed to concentrate enough to grab Laura and take her with me as I apparated." Ginny and Ron saw Neville clench one of his fists. "Brought her here straight away. I'm familiar enough with this building. My parents are patients here, as you all know… But the staff couldn't help Laura. She died straight after I'd arrived. I shouldn't have apparated with her! The pressure of the sudden journey…"

"Neville! Don't blame yourself!" Ginny admonished him. "You had to flee with Laura, by apparating – or stay as Tom Riddle Junior's prisoner…"

"Or worse – end up dead too, mate," Ron added, keeping his voice low.

Slowly recovering her composure, Charlotte blew her nose, and then looked up. "Th-That's what I told Neville too," she informed the Weasleys.

Neville took a deep breath, and slowly released it. "Oh… I sup-I suppose you're right, guys. But I don't want to face Laura's parents, when they get here! An Auror and one of the hospital heads went to tell them."

"For what it's worth, she helped to save the lives of others with her last actions," Ron declared, looking the dejected Neville in the eyes. He stepped forward and patted the shoulder of the other lad with his free hand. Then he repeated the gesture with Charlotte.

"Th-thanks, Ron," Charlotte dried her tears and gave Neville an intense look. "Do…? Do you know…who kil-killed her?"

"Bellatrix Lestrange," he replied, a grim expression on his face. "One day… One day, she's going to get what she deserves – and I hope I'll be there to see it happen!"

Ginny looked meaningfully at her Gryffindor friend. "Neville… Don't let your hatred of Bellatrix eat away at you! Don't throw yourself on a course of revenge against her!"

"I know… I know, Ginny…" Neville muttered - his hand rubbed against Charlotte's arm, as she leaned her head against him.

Silence fell. A nurse from outside pushed aside the curtains and addressed the teenagers. "Laura's parents are on their way," she told them.

Charlotte nodded and glanced at the others. Together, the four of them left the partitioned-off area. Once outside the ward, they stopped to exchange glances with the five seated Hufflepuffs there, who had already paid their own respects to Laura: Zacharias Smith, Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Hannah Abbott, and Ernie Macmillan.

"Any… Any news on Harry, yet?" Ginny hesitantly asked.

"Nah… We're waiting to hear about him, too," Zacharias replied, shifting in his seat.

"What's-His-Name seemed to be in a rush when he apparated in that entrance cave," Ernie mused. "I suppose he was looking for Harry." He paused. "I hope Harry's okay."

"We all do…" Susan added. She trailed off, as somebody ran along the corridor to them. They all looked up, to see an excited-looking Hermione pull up from her dash.

"Hermione…?" Ginny began to say.

"It's Harry! The Order of the Phoenix have found him – at the entrance to those caves… He's alive! And…" Hermione stopped, to recover her breath.

"And!" Ron pressed her.

"Snape's dead! Harry brought his body out of the caves. Oh – and there's this…!"

Hermione reached inside her jacket pocket, and handed Ron his wand back.

He whistled. "How…?"

"Harry got it back for you! Tonks passed it onto me, from him," she explained.

There was a stunned silence all round. Hermione broke it.

"Ginny… Harry was in a bad state. Emotionally, I mean… The Order saw to his wounds, and then questioned him – before bringing him here. Tonks told me."

Ginny grabbed the other girl's shoulders. "Where…? Where is he?"

"I'll take you to him now," Hermione replied. She looked at the other Weasley present. "Ron – are you…?"

Ron managed a smile. "Of course I'm tagging along! Let's get going!"

*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

A few minutes later, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny were allowed by the doctor in charge to go into the private room where Harry was resting. Outside, looking through the solitary window, the Gryffindors could see the lit street lights, and the backdrop of London in the late spring evening.

With a pensive-looking Nymphadora Tonks keeping guard outside, Harry perked up somewhat upon seeing his friends.

At their insistence, Harry told the trio what had unfolded in the further reaches of the caves. When he finished his somewhat-fractured account, Harry laid his tired body back onto the bed. He felt himself to be on the verge of tears again – but this time there seemed to be a barrier within him, holding him back.

"Oh…" Hermione responded first. "Poor Professor Snape. We've all misread him – haven't we? And now he's died for us…"

"Crikey…" Ron rubbed his brow with his free hand. "I wish we had been there to help you, mate… As for Snape… wow! He could've been your father – if your mother had chosen him…"

"There were eight people in that final cavern…" Harry muttered darkly, speaking as though he hadn't heard Ron's words. "And I'm the only one to get out alive! But Voldemort and Bellatrix will live again – because of their Horcruxes." He trailed off and looked intently at his friends. "Anyone else who I know, who didn't make it? Besides Peakes…"

"Laura Madden of Hufflepuff," Ginny informed Harry and Hermione. "She got hit by a Sectumsempra spell from Mrs Lestrange."

"What about Malfoy Manor?" Hermione pointed out. "Whether or not Vol…Vol…Voldemort is there, shouldn't the Order of the Phoenix be making an attack or something…?"

"Snape told me the Manor was well warded against an assault…" Harry pointed out.

"Remus and Kingsley Shacklebolt have already gone to scout out the area," Tonks announced from the doorway, making the others look over to her. "But we've heard from the Hufflepuffs that as soon as the first of their group started apparating from the caves, You-Know-Who was overheard yelling at Fenrir and a Death Eater – Rowle - to apparate over to Malfoy Manor. Then they vanished together from the scene. I think the alarm to flee the Manor has been given."

"Good. If nothing else, the Malfoys will have lost their home, as well as their son," Harry remarked tersely.

"Hold on – from what you've told us, there's just one more Horcrux left, Harry," Ron's lips fluttered into a weak grin. "That's something to be grateful for. Even if it is Nagini."

Harry considered this, and managed to smile back. "Yes – it is, Ron. Voldemort's on his last legs, at last. But when he gets his wits back, after being reborn from the trophy-Horcrux, both he and Lestrange are going to be as mad as hell. A storm is coming. I can feel it!"

"I wonder which trophies were stolen by Draco's friends?" Ginny mused.

"No trophies were missing, to Remus's knowledge, when he was at Hogwarts yesterday," Tonks pointed out. "But we've alerted the school – and they're now checking to see if anything in the Trophy Room is a duplicated fake…"

"Get them to look over the trophy my dad won as Quidditch Seeker. And any that Gryffindor house won for Quidditch or as House of the Year," Harry suggested.

Ginny gave a gasp. "Why them?"

"Voldemort had items from the other houses made into his Horcruxes," Harry spat, in disgust. "The Slytherin locket, the Hufflepuff cup, and the Ravenclaw diadem. He wanted something from Gryffindor to complete 'his' set. Dumbledore told me Voldemort failed to get hold of the sword of Gryffindor – so I'm betting he improvised!"

The room became quiet. Ginny edged closer to Harry, and looked him directly in the eyes. She was biting her lip.

Harry sighed. "Come here, Ginny."

She rushed straight into his open arms, and began to sob against him. "I didn't think I would see you again!"

Ron and Hermione gave each other a meaningful glance – then they nodded and left the room together, to give Harry and Ginny their privacy…

*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

Within the cellar of another safe house – this time somewhere in the Scottish Highlands - Peter Pettigrew was helping Narcissa Malfoy in bringing down the chemical apparatus hurriedly brought over from the just-abandoned Malfoy Manor.

Then they saw the blazing glow of light underneath the door to the makeshift storage room. Quickly, they unlocked the password-protected door and saw the trophies within emanating the harsh radiance.

It was the same two trophies the pair had recently put away, after their transportation from the manor.

"Wh-what is the meaning of this?" Pettigrew rasped, not understanding why the silverware was there – except that the Dark Lord had ordered them to be moved here, and kept safe. At all costs.

Narcissa, however, had an inkling – and she drew in a startled breath. "Something has gone wrong! Remain here, Wormtail – I'll alert Lucius…!"

*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

Night had fallen. Ginny Weasley finished off her late canteen meal, and looked at the others at the table who were still eating their desserts. Molly Weasley was in animated conversation with Hermione, giving her the finer details of Ron's history, so that Hermione would have an even-better knowledge base of how to live with Ron. Initially, Ginny had found it rather funny that her mum was so readily prepared to accept Hermione as a future daughter-in-law.

That she realised that Harry would be put through the same process, as soon as the two of them became a serious item again. If they both survived the ongoing war, that was…

"Um, if you don't mind…," Ginny started to speak. "I want to stretch my legs. Hermione, are you…?"

Hermione shook her head, smiling. "I'm learning some…_interesting…_things about your brother here. I'm glad that your dad has taken him home – so that we can have this conversation!"

"Oh, you'll want to check on Harry again – wouldn't you, Ginny?" Molly spoke up, with a smile on her round face. "Well, run along, dear. See if you can get that nice male nurse to allow you to sneak in. Twist his arm or something – not _literally, _of course. You shouldn't have been taught that spell. It's been banned. Use your charm, instead."

"Er… I'll do that." Ginny blushed - then left Mrs Weasley, and the being-groomed future Mrs Weasley at the canteen table.

The hospital staff who were present took no notice of Ginny as she entered the ward, after first washing her hands. Approaching the room where Harry was being kept, she saw that Professor Lupin was now on watch-duty. He smiled at her.

"Hello, Remus. You've taken over from Tonks, then?"

"Yes, she's gone to check on Dedalus Diggle…"

"Ahh… What's the latest on him, Remus? He had a concussion – didn't he?"

"That's right. Well, Diggle's gradually recovering. He'll be out, in due course – and not before. At least he's safe."

Ginny nodded; relieved that another death had been prevented in time. "That's good! Anyway, I've come to see Harry again. Is he awake?"

"He is, Ginny. He's talking with a friend right now! Go on in – but please excuse me. I need to go to the toilet…"

Another friend? Ginny allowed the departing Professor Lupin to leave her. Turning to the window of the door before her, she could see Harry apparently crying. A girl, whose face couldn't be seen from Ginny's position, was rubbing her hands over his face…

Ginny sucked in her breath. She stood, frozen, on the spot, as her mind went numb. Then, finally, she felt able to push the door open. Now she could hear what was being said. It was a familiar, lilting, female voice that spoke.

"It's all right, Harry. You did your best – and you got out alive. We're proud of you. I'm proud of you… Rest now. You'll need to regain your strength…"

The visitor gently placed Harry's head against the pillow, then pulled out her wand and cast a spell upon the young wizard. There was a momentary glow around his head, which then disappeared.

Finally, the young witch hesitated - then bent forward and kissed Harry on his forehead.

"What on _earth_ are you doing!.?"

Luna Lovegood turned her wide eyes round to face Ginny, who had barged into the private room – her own wand at the ready.

"Oh, hello! I just gave Harry a little charm to help him rest. You shouldn't make any noise now, Ginny. He's just fallen asleep…"

"…in your arms!" Ginny snapped at her Ravenclaw friend.

"Yes. Harry was very upset when he told me what had happened in those caves. I told him he didn't have to say anything if the pain was too raw – but he ploughed on, anyway. He felt that he needed to get it out of his system," Luna explained in her soft Irish brogue. "But I suppose you already know that, since you've been here for some hours. I've just got here, after being patched up elsewhere…"

"Yes, I do know! But right now, I want to know why you just kissed Harry on the head!"

"Oh…" Luna now looked sad. "I don't want to hurt you, Ginny. You're a good friend to me…"

"But…?" Ginny pressed her.

"Harry saved my life in the caves. And only now do I know just how…gruelling…the remainder of his time in the caves was, after he left us. He was _trapped_ in a corridor at one stage, Ginny. And he had to face his worst nightmares. Losing us. Losing everyone and everything dear to him." Luna turned to regard Harry in his bed. He was still wearing his spectacles. But he seemed to be sleeping peacefully.

"I seemed to have calmed him down. But we really should remove his glasses, don't you think? In case he turns over and damages them…"

"Luna…?"

"Yes, Ginny?" The blonde-haired girl faced her once more.

"You…you care about Harry, don't you? Not just as a friend…"

Luna did not look down. Instead, she maintained eye-contact with Ginny – and nodded.

"There is far more to him, than I had expected. All the things I heard about Harry when I grew up, when I was in the first three years at school… None of them were that true. Harry has been a gentleman to me – and a good friend. But he has _had_ to face far more in his life than anyone of our age should! He desperately needs someone, Ginny – someone who will understand him perfectly. Someone who will stop him from tearing himself apart, like now. Somebody who will give him all the reasons in the world to fight on and live beyond this war."

The silver-grey eyes looked calmly – but resolutely - at Ginny, as if expecting to be challenged.

Ginny lowered her wand, but did not put it away. "I agree with you, Luna. And I will be that somebody."

"But Harry broke up with you, so you would not be an obvious target for You-Know-Who."

"Yes… But when this war's over, Harry's mine!"

Luna nodded. "And do you understand Harry that well, yet, Ginny?"

"Well, not yet – but I will…!"

"I hope so. Just as I hope St Mungo's will give Harry some therapy soon. He's got survivor's guilt. And what Professor Snape has told him, has rather shattered Harry's preconceptions. My spell should help to clear some of the Wrackspurts from his head, and allow Harry to handle his trauma somewhat better. So I hope. But he will need to pull himself together soon – if You-Know-Who is really still alive! If I was…" Luna managed a small smile. "…_Snakeface_, I would be rather mad for revenge! Are you going to fire that wand at me, Ginny? I really mean no harm or offence," she continued, nonchalantly changing the subject.

"I…" Ginny looked down at her wand - then put it away. "Does – does Harry know…how you feel about him?"

Luna sadly looked again at the subject of their conversation. "I suppose not. He is a boy, after all. But it is just as well, I suppose." She re-directed her gaze upon Ginny. "I won't take Harry away from you – I promise! Are…? Are we still friends, Ginny?"

The young Miss Weasley took in Luna's expression for a long moment. Her previous anger and jealously faded away. Try as she might, Ginny found it hard to be angry with Luna. They had already shared too many moments where they had stood firmly together as school mates, especially when Professor Umbridge had done her best to rule the school with a perverted rod of iron...

Luna had effectively been a loner, before the DA had come together. It was because of Harry's cause, that the willow-like Ravenclaw girl had managed to prove her worth and become part of the special group that Ginny was in. Herself, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville - and the eccentric, but clever and loyal Luna.

Was it really any wonder that Luna – with her perceptive ways, felt sorry for Harry? And cared about him? Had feelings for Harry – like she did, herself?

Ginny hesitated. She drew in her breath, then allowed her jealousy and anger to disperse – before they could get the better of her. She reached out and squeezed the blond girl's shoulder. "Yes, we are still friends, Luna. Now run along. If you break your promise to me, I'll give you a Bat-Bogey Hex!" she half-jested.

"Oh, I've heard about those! Thank you, Ginny. Good luck with Harry! Remember his glasses." Giving a small smile, Luna walked out of the room. At the doorway, her steps seemed to change into a skip…

Ginny sighed with relief. She sat down in the chair next to Harry's bed, and thought carefully over what Luna had said. Meanwhile, Harry stirred and shifted in his bed to tilt his face towards the ceiling. He muttered something incoherent. The tracks of his dried tears were still visible on his face. Luna had tried to wipe them away.

Stroking Harry's untidy hair, Ginny then carefully moved in to take off Harry's spectacles - before giving him a kiss of her own on his forehead…

*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

Over the next couple of days, several things happened at the Scottish safe house.

Firstly, within minutes of being informed by his wife, Lucius Malfoy placed the Quidditch trophy that was won by James Potter in a cell occupied by a male Muggle prisoner. The man's girlfriend, in the adjacent cell, found herself with a new addition, too – the original House cup won by Gryffindor house in 1992, at the end of Harry's first year at Hogwarts.

Hours later, both Muggles were found dead, slumped besides the smoking remains of the shattered trophies – the energies of the prisoners drained by the emerging spirits of Voldemort and Bellatrix. After a donation of clothes, the Dark Lord and his favourite calmly walked out of the cells, to the relief of the Malfoys and the astonishment of Peter Pettigrew.

However, although physically restored, both Voldemort and Lestrange secretly felt weakened – unable to commit themselves to the creation of more Horcruxes.

Soon after his latest restoration, a troubled-looking Voldemort ordered the Malfoys to place Nagini in a huge chemical tank that had been set up in the laboratory. There, thanks to Lucius working from the gathered notes of the deceased Dr Darnell, Nagini was doused with various chemicals that made her slowly grow and gradually transform. She acquired four new limbs, two expanding, leathery wings, and a thicker, powerful-looking reptilian body.

Five days on from his ignoble defeat at the Caves of the Dead, the Dark Lord entered the lab again, and gazed with appreciation at his tank-bound pet. His last remaining Horcrux.

"_Soon, Nagini… Soon, you will be taken to the forest outside this house – so that you can grow into the adult dragon you are becoming…,"_ Voldemort whispered, in Parseltongue. He placed his palm on the glass – and Nagini responded by pulling on the tubes that both bound and fed her, just enough to rub her now-larger snort against the inside glass surface, in line with her master's hand.

Smiling, Voldemort turned and left the lab. He headed for the lounge. Once inside, Bellatrix Lestrange, the Malfoy family, and the others present stopped talking between themselves and stood up to attention.

"Sit down." The Dark Lord raised his hand. Once his supporters had resumed their positions, he slowly walked over to a high-backed chair that had been positioned near the fireplace for him. Somewhat stiffly, he sat in it.

He appraised the grim-looking faces that were all directed on him. Then he broke the silence.

"Let me begin by thanking Augustus Rockwood for securing this property for us, some time ago." He looked towards the man with the stooped back.

"A pleasure, my Lord. And, of course, the Ministry I…_worked_…for do not know of this place. It was…carefully…acquired from Muggles," Rookwood announced, with a little snigger escaping his lips.

"Good. And now I wish to get straight to the point. The pads of Voldemort's fingers slowly ran back and forth on the wooden arms of this chair. "Severus Snape has…_betrayed…_us! And our energies spent in locating the Caves of the Dead have turned out to be an…unfortunate…waste of our time."

There was instantly an uproar from the Death Eaters present to whom this was news.

"Silence!" Voldemort raised his pale hand once more – and the collected assembly instantly stopped talking. "I realise now that Snape has done his best to delay our war plans. As of this moment, I now say to you that we wait no longer! I will want a progress report from each of you as to the forces that already fall under your responsibility! Fenrir – you will gather your kindred werewolves, and ready them for imminent combat! Yaxley and Rockwood – gather the Dementors. And the giants and trolls, too, if you can! Draco – you will send a message, discreetly, to your friends in Slytherin house, via our new ally here. The first target is Hogwarts! We will launch our attack there by this time next week…. Yes, Bellatrix?"

All heads in the large room turned to Lestrange, as she raised her hand. "My Lord – what about the Potter boy? Will he be back at the school by then? And…Snape! You told me you last saw him alive…"

"Ahh, yes…" Voldemort turned his gaze to one of the youngest of the black-robed wizards in the room. "Tell everyone here what you have told me! Come, stand up, Zacharias!"

Zacharias Smith nervously did so, and he flinched under the gazes of all the Death Eaters in the room.

"I've heard the news. Har-Harry Potter is due to go back to Hogwarts, tomorrow – Monday. Like me. As far as the school know, I'm on compassionate leave, after attending Laura Madden's funeral yesterday with…with her family and some of the other Hufflepuffs."

Draco gave the other boy a scrutinising look. "What about the other Hufflepuffs you hang out with…?"

"They don't know about me being here. Nor do my parents!" Zacharias gave a cocky smile.

"And…Snape?" Draco's eyes narrowed with hate for a man he had trusted.

"Oh, yeah. Definitely dead. And what's more, no one amongst the Phoenix Order - or Potter's stupid friends - has worked out how come you Death Eaters were able to abduct me and my birthday party 'friends' in the first place!"

"Very good, young Zacharias… When you return to Hogwarts tomorrow, you will help our young supporters within Slytherin house to seize the school from the inside, as we attack. And, as I understand from a report submitted by Draco, Miss Parkinson has learnt of the presence of two stones of power now being held at Hogwarts." Voldemort faced Draco. "The Slytherins pupils would do well to acquire them, whilst also securing the school's key locations. Our invading forces will provide the distraction…"

"I will pass on your instructions to Pansy and the others, Master," Draco Malfoy assured him. He looked across to Zacharias. "They already know about Smith's offer of help."

"Excellent…" Voldemort's eyes took in another raised hand. This one belonged to a squat, toad-like woman who 'stood' out from the seated company, in that she was not dressed in black robes but in a business-like, two piece, pink dress.

"Speak, Dolores…"

"M-my Lord?" Dolores Umbridge fought to control her wavering voice. "When will the revolution strike at the heart of the Ministry itself? Rockwood and I have done what we can to pave the way…"

"Send me your report, Dolores. In the meantime, keep your true allegiance as secret as possible from your Ministry colleagues," Voldemort calmly replied. "Your day to act openly will come soon enough!"

"I will… Th-thank you…," she blustered.

He suddenly stood up. "This meeting has now ended! Make the necessary preparations. I want to hear of your readiness for battle, by tomorrow evening!"

The assembled Death Eaters quickly rose to their feet, also. One by one, they left the room.

The man who had been born Tom Marvolo Riddle exited via a separate door, half-hidden amongst the wooden panels of the house. Ascending the stairs beyond, he entered the study on the first floor and sat himself on the plush, swivel chair set behind the heavy desk.

In one corner of the room were a set of displayed enlarged, magically-enhanced photos, set within wooden frames and resting on stands. The pictures had been copied from issues of the Daily Prophet. The one portraying Albus Dumbledore had a scorched hole in the centre of his forehead. The Professor was not moving – instead, the lower half of his face, and his neck, were burnt through.

The photo of Professor Severus Snape, set upright next to the one with the former Headmaster of Hogwarts, was similarly disfigured.

Voldemort had recently been using the pictures for target practice.

As he sat down, the Dark Lord pulled out his wand. It had been retrieved by Draco, after the battle, from the cavern where they had fought with Potter and Snape.

He smiled. He was grateful to the son of Lucius and Narcissa. Despite the _incident_ with Dr Darnell – the boy had first got the Death Eaters to enter Hogwarts, and now he had been good enough to fetch his wand, knowing that death could not hold Him.

Yes, Draco was showing promise, after all...

As for wands, generally… Well, his Death Eaters had taken many from the shop, when they had kidnapped Mr Ollivander – about a year and a half ago.

Voldemort's smile faded. Damn the Order of the Phoenix… When they had invaded the safe house in Wales, Ollivander had been one of the prisoners rescued. The old man had heard rumours of the Master Wand. And yet, under torture, he too apparently had not known of what the Master Ward could and could not do…

All that effort and time spent to find the Caves of the Dead. The Master Wand. The necessary alliance with the rebel vampire coven – now all dead. Only their Dr Darnell and Severus Snape had the combined skills and knowledge to construct the Juggernaut. Now they – and it – were lost to him, as was the hope for an army of golems. Several of his supporters – even the unremarkable Crabbe and Goyle – were now lost to him, thanks to Snape's betrayal.

Hopefully, the sons of Crabbe and Goyle, currently at Hogwarts, would take the news of their fathers' deaths as an incentive to prove their worth to The Cause…

Then there was his own inability to kill Harry Potter when he had held the Master Wand at the boy himself. A wand that he thought would make him supreme amongst wizards.

Instead, he had been made to look like an idiot…

"Soon, Harry," Voldemort whispered to himself. "Soon, you and your friends will be dead – crushed by the oncoming storm. And so too will anyone – _anyone_ – who dares to stand in…my…way!"

The suppressed anger within him suddenly erupted, with the force of a volcano.

With a deafening roar of fury, the Dark Lord spun round in his chair. A lime-green beam of light shot from his wand and struck the animated portrait of Harry Potter on display next to the two Professors. The glass cover shattered into a rain of falling shards, and the face of the hated boy was blotted out with a smoking hole.

There would be no escape for Harry the next time they met - Voldemort vowed, his temper abating a little. The youngster would die, the school captured, the ministry falling to him. The Mudbloods could then be purged. And the purebloods would be re-educated as to their need, and _right_, to assume total control over the human race. The last goal would take years – but once the process was started, progress would be inevitable.

And, of course, He would be the secret ruler behind the new regime.

"_Incendrio!"_

Voldemort gave a hard smile as he destroyed the remains of Harry's picture with flames fired from his wand – the peeling paper turning into ashes which fell to the floor.

The Day of Reckoning was about to arrive…

**THE END**

(The story continues in 'Harry Potter And The Lycanthrope Legacy, Part 1')

Author's note:

Well, there you go. I hope you all enjoyed it. Please remember to leave detailed, useful and well-balanced feedback! Let me know if the story got you thinking. Let me know what the story made you _feel_!

This tale was on my mental, 'to do' list for some time, since reading 'The Deathly Hallows'. I was very disappointed with the way JK Rowling ended Professor Snape's story arc (there's not even any proper, biting confrontation between Harry and Snape in the book, for heaven's sake – though, thankfully, the film rectified this). I felt that the favourite character in the Bloomsbury poll deserved better – and I wanted to 'see' Harry's jaw drop when he realised the truth behind Snape's allegiance and motives, learning from Snape _himself_, not a Pensieve. I also was eager to read about Snape turning on Voldemort, with a direct means of betrayal that would shock both Harry and his adversary. The book did not do that for me.

Another theme I wanted to address was the Hufflepuffs – in particular Ernie – proving their heroic worth. Although Dumbledore's Army was made up of Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaw pupils – none of the Hufflepuffs, in canon, were seen to have any real action until the Final Battle at Hogwarts! And the film makers seemed to forget about the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws (apart from Luna) in the last three films. So I wanted to provide some balance. It also made a nice change for Harry to be stripped of his usual comfort zone of Ron & Hermione, and fight alongside the other DA members, instead.

Having written this challenging, intricate story, I realise that it does not fit perfectly with Chapters 2-3 of my pre-written sequel 'Harry Potter And The Lycanthrope Legacy, Part 1'. I might one day re-write that saga, to eliminate a few errors (e.g. I wrote 'Delores Umbridge', and stated that the Carrows were a married couple. Agghh!). So please ignore the references in '…Legacy' to 'a host of Dementors were wiped out in the battle that claimed Professor Snape' and 'the (Master) wand had been destroyed in the backlash'. Bellatrix saying her husband was captured by the Aurors should now also be taken with a large pinch of salt.

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